ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County completed its first modular roundabout this week at Wyndham Lakes Boulevard and Rodrick Circle, using fabricated rubber pieces placed on existing roads to improve safety while cutting construction costs and time.

The project cost $550,000, according to Orange County Public Works. A typical roundabout costs about $1.2 million to $1.5 million and can take 12 to 24 months to build. The modular roundabout took three weeks to complete.

Unlike a traditional roundabout made with concrete and asphalt, the modular design uses fabricated pieces of rubber material on roads that are already in place. County leaders said the design is intended to provide the same safety benefits as a standard roundabout while spending less money.

Michael Vasquez, who lives near the new roundabout and drives through the intersection every day, said the project has made the area feel safer.

“Overall, I like it,” Vasquez said. “It gives us more peace of mind, being able to get around to the other side and not have to worry about someone zooming past the corner.”

Vasquez said the roundabout looked different but did not create major issues for him.

“Overall, I didn’t notice anything major, just like, ‘oh, this is a little different,’ but I still like it though,” he said.

Orange County leaders said the project could become a model for other intersections as the county looks for ways to stretch limited transportation funding.

“The idea is now that we have identified this as a feasible solution, we are going to be looking at isolated intersections, but the goal is to go beyond that and do corridors,” said Humberto Castillero, traffic engineering manager for Orange County Public Works.

Castillero said the lower cost could allow the county to make more safety improvements with the same amount of money.

“If this intersection functions as we are anticipating, this is a game changer, and we are talking with the commissioners, and they would like for this to be implemented countywide,” Castillero said.

The county will continue monitoring how the roundabout works. Officials said the true test will come once traffic picks back up for the school year.