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Aspen Boulevard study recommends three‑lane sections, roundabouts and a 10‑ft shared‑use path
Summary
DGR Engineering recommended a three‑lane typical section for part of Aspen Boulevard, intersection turn‑lane changes, possible single‑lane roundabouts at Chestnut and 484th, and 10‑ft shared‑use paths; council and residents urged quicker pedestrian safety measures near Casey’s.
Derek Lee of DGR Engineering presented findings from the Aspen Boulevard Corridor Study, which analyzed existing and projected traffic conditions for a roughly 20‑year planning horizon and proposed design and safety upgrades for the corridor.
"The main recommendation is a three‑lane typical section," Lee said, describing a cross‑section with one travel lane in each direction and a center two‑way left‑turn lane through the corridor’s western portion. The study recommends retaining the existing two‑lane section east of Sunshine Avenue pending development, adding right‑turn lanes at Kirkwood Boulevard and Sunshine Avenue, and considering right‑turn restrictions at Country Club Avenue implemented through a median on Aspen.
For intersections, DGR recommended a single‑lane roundabout at Chestnut Boulevard (with a traffic signal as an alternate that could meet warrants by 2030) and a similar single‑lane roundabout at 484th Avenue as preferred options for improved traffic operations and safety. The study also recommends a 10‑ft shared‑use path on both sides of Aspen Boulevard, with improved pedestrian connectivity to nearby developments and consideration of a separate pedestrian bridge across Split Rock Creek.
Members of the council and the public pressed staff to accelerate pedestrian safety work near the Casey’s convenience store and the Chestnut intersection. Councilors and a resident urged adding marked crosswalks and flashing pedestrian beacons sooner than the full roundabout design; staff said pavement markings could be added this summer and that the CIP would prioritize design and construction in coming years (design potentially as early as next year and construction in 2028, depending on project prioritization).
The presentation noted the study was funded through the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Planning Organization and included collaboration with South Dakota DOT, Federal Highways, Minnehaha County and SECOG MPO staff. Crash history review for the previous five years showed no clear crash pattern and a number of incidents attributed to animals and nighttime conditions.
Council directed staff to prepare cost estimates and work through CIP priorities; the study will inform future design work and project timing but does not itself appropriate construction funds.
