Agenda - Council - 11/12/1996 - Laserfiche WebLink

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In many communities, stop signs are often installed, in locations where they are not war- ranted. The MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic ConSol Devices).his established specific warrants for such installations. How- ever, due to political or other r&asons, tmwar- ranted stop signs are still installed. The signs are often installed with the perception that speed and traffic volume will be reduced, safety will be enhanced, etc. After installa- tion, it is often found that the unwarranted signs'are not solving the problems, and in some cases, have created new p~7oblems. The' questions of then removing the unwarranted stop sign(s) becomes a new issue. Removal of a stop sign can often be as sensi- tive an issue as installing a new stop sign, sometimes even more so. Different percep- tions and objectives often exist between in- dividuals who reside by the street and the motorists from outside the neighborhood who drive the street on a regular basis. When considering the removal of a stop sign, care- ful consideration of MUTCD warrants, acci- dent histories, and traffic counts and speeds must be studied carefully. In addition, the general public and decision makers must be educated as thoroughly as p3ssible. Volttmes. Little impact. Speed. Speed at or near intersections may increase. However, mid-block areas will ex- perience little impact. Traffic Noise, Air Quality and Energy Con- sumpdom Usually improves. Traffic Safe~. Not clearly defined as to whether or not safety will improve or worsen. Each situation is unique. Typically, safety im- proves in the long run when unwarranted signs are removed. Community Reaction. Mixed. Differing view points are often expressed between citizens residing adjacent to the roadway and motorists traveling on the roadway daily. Removal of inplace stop signs is often very difficult to accept for residents used to having them there, even when the signs are tmwar- ranted. Ir'is imperative that traffic engineers and other decision makers determine the best traffic control measures under specific cir- cumstances based on reasonable guidelines. Neighborhood Traffic Control January ] 994 17-1