Drivers in Lakeville have spent years navigating the two-lane roundabout at Kenwood Trail and 185th Street, but repeated crashes are now prompting city and county officials to take another look at how the intersection works.
The roundabout, located at Dakota County Roads 50 and 60, opened in 2015 after the former traffic-signal intersection was redesigned. Since then, crashes have continued to occur at a rate that has made the intersection one of Dakota County’s most closely watched traffic-safety locations.
Recent reporting and county records show the problem has not gone away. Nearly 300 crashes were recorded at the intersection over a recent two-year period, while city officials have also cited more than 400 crashes from 2023 through 2025. Most have involved property damage, sideswipes or other less-severe collisions, although officials have also documented crashes involving injuries.
For people who use the intersection regularly, the frequent collisions have become a noticeable part of the daily commute.
The city and county have already tried several changes. Signage and pavement markings have been adjusted over time in an effort to help drivers understand lane placement and movement through the circle.
In September, crews also moved forward with another safety measure: installing “mumble strips” inside the roundabout. Unlike traditional rumble strips, these shallower pavement treatments are intended to create a noticeable vibration without the same level of noise. The goal is to remind drivers when they begin moving out of their designated lane.
Those smaller changes are happening while Dakota County examines whether a larger redesign is needed.
The county’s current capital improvement plans identify the Kenwood Trail and 185th Street intersection as a crash-prone location and include a project aimed at improving both safety and traffic operations.
Officials are now looking more closely at why collisions continue despite previous modifications. One issue being examined is the complexity of the intersection itself. The Lakeville roundabout has two lanes entering and exiting in each direction, a configuration that can be more difficult for drivers to navigate than the single-lane roundabouts commonly seen elsewhere in Minnesota.
Several potential solutions are being considered.
One option would make changes around the center of the roundabout to improve visibility, relocate pedestrian crossings and add warning features. Another would build on those changes by creating bypass lanes that would allow certain drivers making right turns to avoid entering the roundabout.
A third possibility would be much more significant: removing the roundabout and returning the intersection to traffic signals.
That option is notable because the intersection previously operated with traffic signals before the roundabout was constructed. County records from the earlier planning process had projected that the roundabout could improve safety, but the crash pattern that developed after construction has led officials to reassess how the intersection is performing today.
Traffic volume is another part of the discussion. The intersection carries a large amount of daily traffic, and transportation officials are examining whether the combination of heavy traffic and the two-lane design is contributing to the continuing collision pattern.
The new study is expected to take roughly six to nine months. Officials anticipate additional information and recommendations in spring or summer 2027, while public input is expected to be part of the process before a long-term solution is selected.
For now, drivers should not expect an immediate major reconstruction. The latest work is focused on smaller safety improvements while the broader study determines whether the intersection needs a redesign, bypass lanes or a return to traffic signals.
The larger goal for Lakeville and Dakota County is to find a solution that can handle the intersection’s heavy traffic while reducing the crashes that have made the roundabout a continuing safety concern.
