Rosemount's Connemara and Akron Roundabout Gets a $2.57M Contract
TLDR
Council awarded a $2.57 million contract to Eureka Contracting for the Connemara Trail/Akron Avenue roundabout.
The intersection will be fully closed for about three months starting late May/early June.
The goal is to reopen before school starts in late August.
The city's share is about $1.3 million; Dakota County and Met Council cover the rest.
If you drive through the Connemara Trail and Akron Avenue intersection in Rosemount, start thinking about a different route.
What's Happening
The council voted 5-0 to award the construction contract to Eureka Contracting for a new single-lane roundabout at Connemara Trail and Akron Avenue (County Road 73). This intersection has been getting busier as the area around it develops — new homes, the Life Time fitness center, commercial space along County Road 42.
Five companies submitted bids, and they were incredibly competitive. The top four bids were within $20,000 of each other, and the winning bid came in about 10% under the engineer's estimate. City engineer Nick Egger said reference checks on Eureka Contracting came back overwhelmingly positive.
The Closure Plan
Here's the part you need to know: the intersection will be completely shut down for the entire construction period. That's roughly three months, starting in late May or early June.
Why a full closure instead of keeping one direction open? Speed. A full closure gets the project done in about three months instead of dragging it out over six or more. The city chose the shorter, more intense approach to get it reopened before the 2026-2027 school year starts in late August.
An open house is planned for late April at the Rosemount Public Works & Police Campus to share detour routes and traffic management plans.
Who's Paying
The total project cost including design and management is a little over $3 million. The city's share is about $1.3 million, funded primarily through Municipal State Aid. Dakota County is picking up the bulk of the remainder, with Met Council contributing a couple hundred thousand for a sanitary sewer structure that needs to be built as part of the project.
The Bottom Line
Once it's done, the roundabout should slow traffic through the intersection and improve safety as this part of Rosemount continues to grow. The open house in late April will have specifics on detour routes. Mark your calendars and plan accordingly — this one's going to affect a lot of daily commutes in south Rosemount.
FAQ
When does construction start?
Late May or early June 2026. A pre-construction meeting still needs to happen to nail down the exact start date.
How long will it be closed?
About three months. The goal is substantial completion by late August, before school starts.
Will any access be maintained?
The intersection itself will be fully closed. Detour routes will be shared at the late April open house.
Why a roundabout instead of a traffic light?
Roundabouts are generally safer and better at handling growing traffic volumes. This intersection went from farmland to a developing commercial and residential area in just a few years.
