Minnesota is famous for its many lakes, cold weather, and ice fishing. But there’s one thing that many people don’t know about—the abundance of roundabouts, also known as traffic circles. When my wife and I moved from North Carolina to St. Cloud last September, we weren’t expecting to encounter so many of them.
People here sometimes call them Minnesota stoplights, because they seem to pop up unexpectedly, even in the middle of nowhere.
On a recent trip to Cambridge, we passed several roundabouts, and it made me wonder: Does Minnesota have the most roundabouts of any state? The answer is no, not by a long shot.
Florida actually has the most roundabouts, with over 1,460, almost three times more than Minnesota. California comes in second with over 815, followed by Texas with more than 760, Washington with over 670, Indiana with over 640, and Colorado with over 620.
Minnesota is in 9th place with about 530 roundabouts, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Wisconsin has a bit more at 554.
Interestingly, South Dakota has the fewest roundabouts—only 16 statewide. North Dakota has 55, and Iowa has 151.
Roundabouts are designed to improve road safety, and according to the state, they have helped reduce fatal and serious crashes by 80%. They also help keep traffic moving smoothly, but ultimately, the success depends on drivers making smart decisions, which, as we all know, can be challenging.