Rochester Needs a Roundabout At This Intersection – And Most Locals Agree

I don't want to add any additional "road closed" signs or orange cones to the Rochester landscape.  However, there is one intersection that is almost always mass chaos and I know what would help.

A roundabout.

The One Road In Rochester, MN That Needs A Roundabout...Yesterday

Before you roll your eyes and start complaining about how no one in Minnesota knows how to drive in a roundabout, let me first point out that roundabouts typically get a lot of anger thrown at them when they are first discussed.

IHS Crash Testing has shown that about 15% to 40% of people tend to dislike or oppose roundabouts when they are first brought up as an option.  After they are constructed and used by the public, support from residents usually increases to 60% to 70% in most communities.

Rochester has really embraced the idea of roundabouts, especially on one road in town. Check out this spot in Rochester where someone got a little bit too roundabout happy when they designed it.

This is over by the newest Hy-Vee in NW Rochester and this area has been thriving with housing, restaurants, and businesses.  As this area continues to get developed, I'm sure it will make a bit more sense.  But if we can think ahead for this NW side of Rochester, why weren't we planning ahead for development in this SE side of Rochester?

Ok, not all of SE is getting ignored for roundabouts.  One is being put in near Olmsted Medical Center and the Federal Prison.  But if that intersection got one (and I drove that basically every day), than the intersection below is in desperate need of one as well.

If you head to SE Rochester towards Walmart on 3rd Ave. SE, this road used to have a gas station on one side and Golden Hill school on the other side of the road.

When the school and gas station were torn down and this area was redeveloped, a Starbucks went in where the gas station was and the school area (or near it) is now home to a Taco Bell and the strip mall with Ulta, Marshall's, Carter's, and up until recently was also home to Kirkland's.

READ MORE: Now That Kirkland's Is Closed, Rochester Locals Want To See This Space Filled With This

Getting in and out of the small strip mall that is home to Ulta and Marshall's or Starbucks is at times almost like playing a game of Frogger.

There is only one way in and one way out...you almost have to hope that if you go fast enough when you need to leave, that car coming down 3rd Ave. SE will be nice enough to slow down a tad so you can successfully make it.

Unfortunately, not everyone shows Minnesota Nice while moving through this area.

The last point in regards to this spot needing to be a roundabout is this...the secret side street that takes you to Walmart.  While I love that we have this extra way to get into this Walmart and I know it has been there for a long time, it is so close to the entrance/exit to the strip mall and at times, causes some traffic challenges.

What Other Intersections In Rochester Need A Roundabout or Improvements?

I know this isn't the only challenging intersection in our community.  If you've got others that could use some improvement, add it to the Facebook post below.