DES MOINES, Iowa — On Friday, the City of Des Moines opened it’s first roundabout which is located in the city’s southside.

The roundabout is located at E. Army Post Road and SE 36th Street in the city’s southeast side and is the first roundabout to be complete by the city. Two roundabouts have previously been placed along Broadway Avenue by Polk County, according to city officials.

City engineers decided to convert the previous two-way stop-controlled intersection following a 2020 traffic study, which identified speed and safety concerns due to high traffic volume.

The city council has already made plans for a second roundabout, which will also be located along E. Army Post Road. During the July board meeting, the city says the project will add a lane and improve sidewalk traffic.

According to the Iowa DOT, replacing intersections with roundabouts have caused a 40 percent decrease in all crashes and an 80 percent reduction in serious crashes.

This roundabout is part of the city’s ongoing effort to lower fatal car crashes across the metro by adding rumble strips, widening pavement markers , installing cable median barriers, and more.

To learn more about navigating roundabouts and the latest roundabout construction in Iowa visit the Iowa DOT website.