MnDOT proposes roundabout for west side of city

Patrick Fisher, Staff Writer

In some circles, New Prague is known as the roundabout town, due to two of the circular traffic intersections on the east side of town. Now, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is proposing a third roundabout on the west side of New Prague.

Representatives of the state agency presented their case for another roundabout to the New Prague City Council during its Monday meeting. The roundabout would be placed at the intersection of Highway 19 and 11th Avenue, near Raven Stream Elementary School and the site of a proposed Wal-Mart store.

Mary Dieken, project manager for MnDOT District 7 out of Mankato, noted that an Intersection Control Evaluation was completed earlier this year. The report was done in cooperation with Short Elliot Hendrickson (S.E.H.) Inc., and covered Highway 19 from Le Sueur County Road 143 on the west side to the intersection with Highways 13 and 21 on the east. Dieken said current traffic counts and future growth to the community were considered. MnDOT assumed there would be development to the south of the intersection that would include an extension of 11th Avenue to the south.

There had been an earlier concept plan calling for traffic signals at the intersection, but in doing the study, MnDOT officials said a roundabout would better serve the area. Other concepts considered were a roundabout at 11th Avenue and one at the intersection of Highways 19 and 21 or one at 11th Avenue and installing left turn lanes to the intersection of the two highways. Dieken explained a roundabout at the intersection of Highways 19 and 21 would be difficult due to limited space.

In a nutshell