The 2020s have brought a boom of roundabouts across Minnesota’s cities and greater metropolitan area. The Minnesota Department of Transportation reports more than 530 on roads statewide, noting that they “have become an increasingly popular intersection type by traffic engineers.”
It’s common to experience a bit of the “No, you go first” effect as unfamiliar drivers hesitate before entering the circle. Before long, a backup forms on one of the approaches while people figure out the new system.
The reason given for the widespread adoption is safety. MnDOT cites an 86 percent decrease in fatal crashes, an 83 percent decrease in life-altering injury crashes, and a 42 percent overall decrease in the injury crash rate at intersections converted to roundabouts.
They have changed the driving landscape—and provided some comedy relief in the process.
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