The Baxter Buttonhook

Rendering of Baxter “buttonhook.” Photo source: MNDOT

Six new roundabouts are coming to the City of Baxter. The project, which will reshape the intersection of Highways 210 and 371, is a collaboration between the City, Crow Wing County, and MNDOT.

The proposed design of the intersection, which includes six interlocking roundabouts and has been dubbed the “buttonhook,” has raised some eyebrows. Proponents of the intersection say that it will enhance traffic flow and efficiency, improve motorist safety, and bolster economic growth in the Brainerd Lakes area. Critics argue that the design of the intersection is a “highway engineer’s fever dream” that paves over larger issues regarding access and allocation of public funds.

The Magic Roundabout, which you can read about in our blog post from March 2024, is a legendary five-swirl roundabout in Swindon, England. The proposed “buttonhook” project in Baxter follows a similar design, but at a far larger scale. Planning and design of the “buttonhook” is anticipated to continue through 2027, and construction is expected to begin in 2028.