Stop Sign Study

Stop Sign Study - 2008-2010

The City Council recently adopted a new residential stop sign policy.  The new policy is below:

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Adopted on January 10, 2008

CITY OF RICHFIELD

NEW RESIDENTIAL STOP SIGN POLICY

FOR TWO-WAY STOP SIGNS

Purpose:  The purpose of the residential stop sign policy is to provide fair and uniform treatment of stop signs in residential areas by the Richfield Traffic Control Committee.  This policy differs from the current policy in that it is proactive and provides for safer transportation within the City by assigning right of way at all residential intersections

1.      Two-way stop signs will be installed on all residential streets in such a way as to create sub-collector[1] streets. The new policy may take several years to implement. Studies in Richfield and elsewhere have shown that:

· Stop-controlled residential intersections have reduced crash rates.

· Existing sub-collectors have substantially lower crash rates while maintaining comparable speeds.

· Sub-collectors avoid the added noise and air pollution associated with basket weave stop signs.

· Stop signs do not control speeding beyond 200 feet of the stop sign.

2.      Uncontrolled intersections will be converted to two-way stop control on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis.

3.      The placement of stop signs will create sub-collector streets by controlling traffic on all the cross streets. In most cases, east-west streets will not have stop signs while north-south streets will be controlled by two-way stop signs.  This arrangement will discourage drivers from using the local residential roadways, where the majority of houses front, as through streets.

4.      The Engineering staff will prepare a stop sign plan for each neighborhood.  The plan will be submitted to the neighborhood for review and comment before sign installation begins. Modifications to the sub-collector pattern may be made to accommodate bike routes, school bus routes and other relevant factors.

5.      The Transportation Commission will review all staff requests for stop sign removal and make recommendations to the City Council.  As in the previous policy, the City Council will remain responsible for the removal of stop signs.

6.      The previous stop sign policy will remain in effect for a neighborhood until it is converted to the new policy. Neighborhoods will be considered for stop signs based on boundaries shown on the attached map.

7.      The area north of the Best Buy Campus will remain in a Basket Weave stop sign pattern. This neighborhood is bounded by 76th Street, Penn Avenue, 66th Street and 35W.

[1] Sub-collector ? the sub-collector classification of roadway is designated to distribute traffic from the minor arterials and collector streets to the local residential roadways where the majority of houses face.  Conversely, sub-collectors connect the smaller access streets and residences to the higher volume streets while discouraging traffic from traveling long distances on the local residential roadways.

Stop Signs

Control of Speed and Safety
Each year, the City receives many inquiries about installing stop signs as a way to reduce speeding or improve safety. However, research shows that other measures are often more effective in addressing the issues of speed and safety than adding stop signs. The purpose of stop signs is to assign right-of-way at an intersection, not to control speeding. Also, stop signs do not necessarily improve safety at an intersection.

Frequently, residents think stop signs at an intersection are needed because an accident has occurred there recently. It is important to keep in mind that accidents are random events. Many collisions are the result of driver error and are not the fault of poor design or insufficient traffic control.

The City does review accident records periodically to determine if patterns of multiple collisions occur at particular locations. When several collisions occur at the same location, engineering studies are performed to determine the need for possible corrective action. Removal of sight obstructions and other measures are considered as well as the possibility of additional stop signs.

Public understanding of the function of stop signs is one of the most critical elements in reducing speeding and traffic accidents. The following information explains Richfield's policies on intersection traffic control and the correct use of stop signs.

Philosophy of Traffic Control

Effective traffic control is achieved by exercising the least intrusive control to achieve safe traffic flow. When excessive control or unnecessary control is used, motorists feel imposed upon and frequently will ignore the traffic control device. This can lead to severe consequences involving collisions and possibly personal injury.

Installation Policies

The Federal "Uniform Traffic Control Devices Manual" dictates the size, shape and color of all traffic signs. This manual has guidelines for installing signs and thus creates uniformity from state to state. The State of Minnesota has a similar "Traffic Manual" which is in compliance with the Federal Manual.

The City is required by State law to comply with the guidelines of the State Traffic Manual. In addition, the City has adopted policies for the installation of two-way stop signs in residential areas. These policies identify specific traffic volumes, accident history, and any unusual conditions that must be present at the intersection before these traffic control devices may be installed.

Our experience has shown that simply improving the intersection visibility by prohibiting parking or removing vegetation near the intersection is often more effective in reducing traffic accidents than installing stop signs. This often reduces the need to install more restrictive intersection controls. Overuse of stop signs reduces their effectiveness. If installed where not justified, they are largely ignored with many drivers not making complete stops.

Two-Way Stop Signs

Two-way stop signs are installed at an intersection only after a careful engineering evaluation of the existing conditions indicates that their installation is appropriate.

Good neighborhood traffic control produces smooth trips for the motorist and avoids the "stop and go" effect of excessive stop signs. Experience shows that motorists have a tendency to speed up between stop signs. This is contrary to the wishes of residents who want motorists to slow down while traveling on residential streets.

Two-way stop signs at an intersection may only cost $100 to install but they can add about $4,600 in additional operating costs per year for motorists (assuming 500 cars are forced to stop at the intersection each day). Other costs of unjustified stop signs are:

Increased air pollution when cars are idling at a stop sign;

Increased noise from braking and accelerating; and,

Increased wear and tear on cars forced to slow down, stop and then accelerate through stop signs.

Our review of stop sign requests includes an examination of:

The provisions of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices shall be followed.

The City's Traffic Control Committee should look at relevant speed, accident records and sight obstructions when considering a stop sign at a particular location.

If in the opinion of the Traffic Control Committee the presence of a sight obstruction is contributing to accidents at the intersection, staff should seek to remove the obstruction before considering a stop sign.

If an intersection experiences five (5) or more right angle accidents in a five(5) -year period, stop signs should be considered.

If fifteen (15) percent of the cars are more than five (5) M.P.H. over the speed limit, then stop signs should be considered.

If traffic volumes on one of the streets exceed 1,000 vehicles per day, stop signs may be considered.

Absent engineering data that clearly indicates the need for a stop sign, a residential intersection should be left uncontrolled.

Removal of stop signs must be approved by the City Council.

Four-Way or Multi-Way Stop Signs

The standards for four-way or multi-way stop signs are even more restrictive than for two-way stop signs.

If an intersection experiences five (5) or more right angle accidents in a one (1) -year period that are correctable by multi-way stop signs.

If total vehicle volumes entering the intersection from all approaches average 500 vehicles per hour for any eight hours of an average day.

If the combined vehicular and pedestrian volume from the minor street averages at least 200 units per hour for the same 8 hours, with an average delay to minor street vehicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the maximum hour.

When the 85th-percentile approach speed of the major street traffic exceeds 40 miles per hour, the minimum vehicular volumes can be reduced to 70 percent of the above requirements.

Rarely do residential areas have the traffic volumes or accident history to warrant four-way stop signs.

Uncontrolled Intersections

An uncontrolled intersection is the most common form of traffic control for residential intersections in the City. Motorists need to approach the intersection cautiously, look both ways and yield to the vehicle on the right. This is the legal way to enter an uncontrolled intersection.

Citizen Concern

The City takes its role in solving traffic problems very seriously, yet the ultimate burden of safety rests with you, the motorist in Richfield. Since we receive over 100 citizen requests per year, we cannot always investigate them as quickly as we would like. However, we will respond after carefully evaluating your request. If action is taken, it can usually take one or two months. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

If you have questions, requests or suggestions concerning traffic, please call Derick Anderson at 612-861-9798.