
South Dakota Leads the Nation in Avoiding Roundabouts
The new diverging diamond interchange on 41st Street in Sioux Falls might be the flashy new kid on the traffic block, but there's another type of road feature quietly growing in the area: roundabouts. Yes, those circular intersections that seem to baffle some drivers and delight others are making their mark, albeit slowly in the Sioux Falls area.
Sioux Falls saw its first roundabout back in 2008, and the city now claims a total of seven. That might sound impressive for a Midwestern city of this size, but compare that to Fargo, ND, which has a whopping 16. Clearly, the roundabout race isn't exactly neck-and-neck.
According to Kittleson & Associates, a firm that maintains a live database of roundabouts across the U.S., South Dakota is sitting at the bottom of the leaderboard with just 18 roundabouts statewide. Meanwhile, our friends in North Dakota are showing off with 64. Ouch.
Besides the seven in Sioux Falls, you'll find these circular wonders sprinkled around South Dakota in places like Box Elder, Brookings, Dakota Dunes, Harrisburg, Sisseton, Spearfish, Vermillion, and Watertown.
So, why does South Dakota seem to have an aversion to roundabouts? It’s a bit of a mystery. Maybe it’s the vast open spaces that make traditional intersections seem more practical. Or perhaps the idea of navigating a roundabout leaves some drivers spinning in circles like Clark Griswold in the movie European Vacation. Advocates argue they’re safer and more efficient, keeping traffic flowing like a well-oiled machine. Critics, however, find them confusing, stressful, and just plain unnecessary.
And if you thought North Dakota’s 64 roundabouts were something, hold on to your steering wheel: Florida leads the nation with over 1,500 roundabouts. Apparently, sunshine and traffic circles go hand in hand.