St. Paul will get its first modern roundabout next year as part of a new connection linking busy Lexington Parkway, which now ends at West Seventh Street, with Shepard Road.
Ramsey County is overseeing the $3.3 million road construction project in the West Seventh neighborhood, the latest effort to tidy up the Capital City's unruly street grid and make life easier for those finding their way around St. Paul.
Among other changes, Ramsey County will build a roundabout at the new intersection of Lexington and Montreal Avenue. County officials anticipate that about 6,200 vehicles will use the new stretch daily.
"It's a great connection for vehicles and also pedestrians and bicyclists." said county project manager and civil engineer Nick Fischer. "It's really difficult to get to Crosby Farm Park and Shepard Road from Highland Park if you are on a bike or walking or running. This will be a critical connection."
County officials anticipate starting construction on the project next summer and completing the roadwork by the fall of 2022.
Ramsey Council two years ago realigned Lexington Parkway, otherwise known as County Road 51, to eliminate an awkward five-way intersection at West Seventh. Lexington now crosses West Seventh, where it turns into Elway Street and then Adrian Street before motorists hit a cul-de-sac.
The plan is to extend the northern part of Elway across a grassy right-of-way and connect it to the southern end of Elway, which extends to Shepard Road.
"That strip there was already a right-of-way. It was already designated a street probably well over 100 years ago," Fischer said. "It was platted originally in the 1800s as a street and the street just never got built. I am not quite sure why but it was always a city street right-of-way."
