Lafayette County to start roundabout work near Winchester Monday

Drivers near Winchester started seeing the first signs of a new roundabout project at the east side of the CR 101, CR 166 and CR 1032 intersection, where Lafayette County said construction was beginning at the Max D. Hipp Lafayette County Industrial Park. The county warned that the intersection would stay open, but narrow lanes and occasional delays were expected as crews moved in.

The most immediate change for commuters, school traffic and delivery routes was the removal of the flashing red light during the work. Lafayette County said the crossing would still operate as a four-way stop, and it urged motorists to slow down, watch for workers and use an alternate route if possible. For residents living near Winchester and for anyone cutting through the industrial park corridor, that meant less convenience and a tighter margin for error, even without a full closure.

The roadwork matters because this junction is one of the main access points to the Max D. Hipp Industrial Park, which the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation describes as Lafayette County’s principal industrial site. The park covers roughly 250 acres and includes water, sewer, road access and high-speed fiber. It was first certified as fiber ready in 2016, a detail that has helped position the area for industrial growth and heavier truck traffic.

The roundabout project also fits into a string of recent county decisions tied to the same property. In May 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved contract work for InvestPrep grant improvements in the industrial park. In November 2025, county officials signed off on site preparation for a 6.25-acre project that uses excess fill dirt from the West Oxford Loop Extension to create pad-ready lots. In January 2026, supervisors approved a preliminary site plan for a proposed hot mix asphalt plant in the park, and Oxford approved a water request for that project in December 2025, noting the city already provides water and sewer service there.

That backlog of industrial planning helps explain why the county is pushing to improve access now. A rezoning effort tied to the asphalt plant was later withdrawn after the developer shifted the project into the park’s industrial zoning, ending a five-hour hearing that drew strong interest from both sides. With more truck movement, utility demand and development pressure building around the corridor, the roundabout work at CR 101, CR 166 and CR 1032 is becoming part of a larger effort to keep the industrial park functional as Lafayette County grows.