New Roundabout Opens Early on SR 546 Near Lynden

LYNDEN, Wash. — Drivers in north Lynden can now use a new roundabout after the Washington State Department of Transportation finished construction ahead of schedule.

WSDOT announced Thursday night that crews opened the compact roundabout at the intersection of State Route 546, also known as East Badger Road, and Benson Road.

The project marks the latest safety upgrade along one of Whatcom County’s busiest rural highways.

Crews to Return for Final Striping

Although drivers can use the roundabout now, the project is not complete.

WSDOT plans to return in July after the asphalt cures. Crews will install permanent lane striping at that time. The work could require up to four daytime single-lane closures on SR 546 with alternating traffic.

We finished early and the new roundabout on SR 546/Badger Road at the Benson Road intersection in Lynden opened Thursday night (6/25). We’ll be back in a few weeks after the asphalt has cured to install permanent lane striping.

— Washington State Department of Transportation

WSDOT will announce those dates before construction begins.

Built to Handle Farm Equipment and Heavy Trucks

The $513,000 project replaces the traditional intersection with a compact roundabout designed to improve traffic flow while accommodating the area’s agricultural traffic.

Unlike standard passenger vehicles, semi-trucks, farm equipment and other oversized vehicles can safely drive over the mountable center curb when making turns through the intersection.

The new design complements three existing roundabouts farther east along SR 546 at Depot Road, Bender Road and Northwood Road.

Busy Corridor Continues to Grow

According to WSDOT, nearly 11,000 vehicles traveled this section of SR 546 each day during 2025 between Guide Meridian and Depot Road.

As traffic volumes have increased, the agency has continued replacing conventional intersections with roundabouts to reduce crashes and improve mobility along the corridor.

Why WSDOT Chose a Roundabout

WSDOT says roundabouts consistently outperform traditional stop-controlled and signalized intersections in safety studies. According to the agency, roundabouts reduce injury crashes by approximately 75% and lower overall collisions by about 37%.

Officials attribute those improvements to lower vehicle speeds approaching intersections, continuous traffic flow without red lights and fewer opportunities for dangerous T-bone and head-on crashes because all traffic moves in one direction through the intersection.

The Benson Road roundabout is expected to provide those same safety benefits while keeping traffic moving more efficiently on one of northern Whatcom County’s primary east-west routes.

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