Wellington Roundabouts: Lake Worth Rd & 120th Ave, Village Park (2026)

Wellington's New Roundabouts: Lake Worth Road and Village Park

Wellington drivers are about to get used to two new roundabouts. Construction is underway at Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue South, one of the village's busiest four-way stops, and at the main entrance to Village Park on Pierson Road. Village officials say roundabouts slow drivers down, keep traffic moving and cut the most dangerous kinds of crashes. Some drivers find them confusing at first, and the projects mean months of construction and a combined price of about $5.1 million. Here's what's being built, when it's expected to open, and what the research says on both sides.

Wellington's new roundabouts at a glance

Lake Worth Rd. and 120th Ave. S.: $4.29 million; replaces an uncontrolled four-way stop; includes drainage, pedestrian access, lighting and landscaping
Timeline: Work began in June 2026; the south leg of 120th is expected to reopen in December, with the rest finished in summer 2027
Village Park entrance on Pierson Rd.: $826,000; a single-lane roundabout replacing a three-way stop
Timeline: Canal and drainage work has started; completion expected in the first quarter of 2027

Why Wellington chose roundabouts

Village officials say the Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue South intersection has exceeded its capacity as a four-way stop, and residents have frequently raised concerns about traffic and safety there, the Town-Crier reported. At Village Park, the goal is to improve traffic in and out of the park, cut backups during events and support the new athletics facility and aquatics center.

"Roundabouts combine lower vehicle speeds with more continuous traffic flow. Their geometry physically slows vehicles and reduces the potential for severe crossing conflicts," Village Engineer Jonathan Reinsvold said. "Drivers yield to circulating traffic and enter when a suitable gap is available, which can reduce unnecessary stopping and queuing."

The case for roundabouts

Fewer serious crashes. U.S. studies of intersections converted from signals or stop signs to roundabouts found 72 to 80 percent fewer injury crashes and 35 to 47 percent fewer crashes overall, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Right-angle, left-turn and head-on crashes are essentially eliminated because everyone travels the same direction at low speed.
Less waiting. IIHS cites studies where replacing stop signs with roundabouts cut vehicle delays 13 to 23 percent at some intersections and far more at others.
Safer for walkers. Pedestrians cross one direction of traffic at a time over shorter distances, and European studies found about 75 percent fewer pedestrian crashes after conversions, IIHS reports.
Lower long-term costs. IIHS says roundabouts usually cost less to maintain than signals and last about 25 years, compared with about 10 for a typical traffic signal.
Getting it done sooner. In 2025, the Village Council chose to fund the Lake Worth Road project itself rather than wait for a possible $1.5 million grant that could have pushed construction to 2029. Council members agreed the heavily used intersection needed better traffic control than a four-way stop as quickly as possible, the Town-Crier reported.

The case for caution

A learning curve. Drivers are often skeptical before roundabouts are built. In IIHS surveys, support before construction was as low as 31 percent, though it rose to about 70 percent after drivers had used them for a year or more.
Crashes still happen. The most common roundabout crashes are drivers hitting the center island, rear-end and sideswipe crashes, and collisions while entering, often tied to coming in too fast, IIHS says. Multi-lane roundabouts can be more confusing than single-lane ones.
Months of construction. The Lake Worth Road project runs from June 2026 into summer 2027, and the south leg of 120th Avenue is closed until it reopens, expected in December.
Cost. The two projects total about $5.1 million, and the village gave up waiting on grant money to speed up the Lake Worth Road work.
Not right everywhere. IIHS notes that roundabouts need more space at the intersection and may not be ideal where a very busy main road meets a lightly used side street.

Tips for driving a roundabout

Slow down as you approach and watch for pedestrians at the crosswalk.
Yield to traffic already in the circle, coming from your left.
Enter when there's a safe gap, then drive counterclockwise to your exit.
Use your right turn signal before you exit, and never stop inside the circle unless you need to avoid a crash.

What do you think?

Will roundabouts at Lake Worth Road and Village Park make your drive easier, or would you rather have kept the stop signs? Which Wellington intersection would you fix next? For more on traffic out west, see the county transportation master plan and why Lyons Road dead-ends.

Frequently asked questions

When will the Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue South roundabout be finished?

Work began in June 2026. The south leg of 120th Avenue South is expected to reopen in December, with the rest of the $4.29 million project finished in summer 2027.

Is a roundabout being built at Village Park in Wellington?

Yes. An $826,000 single-lane roundabout will replace the three-way stop at the main entrance to Village Park on Pierson Road, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Are roundabouts safer than stop signs?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, U.S. studies of intersections converted from signals or stop signs to roundabouts found 72 to 80 percent fewer injury crashes and 35 to 47 percent fewer crashes overall.

How do you drive through a roundabout?

Slow down, yield to traffic already in the circle and to pedestrians, enter when there's a safe gap, travel counterclockwise and signal before you exit.