STOP SIGN REMOVEL IN HOBBY ACRES
June 28, 1983
To: City Council & City Manager
From: City Engineer
Re: Stop Sign Removal in Hobby Acres
On June 7, 1983, the Council considered a report recommending the removal
of certain stop signs in the Hobby Acres area due to the decrease in traffic
volumes. These decreases were caused by the (1) closing of the connection of
Hazelane to State Highway 7 and (2) the closing of Farmdale Road at the Burling-
ton Northern tracks. Prior to the freeway construction, these roads were used
extensively by non-residents of the area as a convenient shortcut or to avoid
the backup on local streets such as Minnetonka Mills Road and Washington Avenue
when they were still functioning as County Road 18. These conditons were the
justification for the installation of stop signs.
The Council ordered a public hearing which was held on June 21, 1983. The
response to this hearing was very limited and the Council asked the Engineer to
provide further information on the proposed stop sign removals.
Attached are copies of pages 2B-2, 2B-3, & 2B-4 taken from the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices and were adopted by the Federal Highway Adminis-
tration as a national standard for all classes of streets and h~ghways. These
pages describe warrants or simply justifications for the installation of a traffic
control device. The Minnesota Commissioner of Highways, pursuant to authorlty by
Minnesota Statutes 1971, adopted and prescribed such manual for streets and high-
ways of the State of Minnesota. It is the intent that the provisions of this
manual be standards for the installation of traffic control devices, but not a
legal requirement for installation.
COMMENTS:
Traffic counts were not taken as it is my personal observation by being a
resident of the area for 21 years that conditions have drastically changed due
to the road construction conditions previously mentioned. Warrant 2B-5 lists
four conditions which lf one or more of these conditions are present, may warrant
a stop sign. None of the conditions appear to be met, although some replies re-
ceived for the hearing showed concern for current speeding. Since the stop signs
are in existence, it may be concluded that the stop signs do not have the effect
of reducing speed for those drivers who are determined to speed. Visibility is
not restricted and serious accidents have not been recorded either before or after
the traffic volume changes. Street lights are also present throughout the area to
enhance pedestrian safety.
The intersection of Farmdale Road and Hollyhock Lane is a Multiway stop con-
dition. This type of stop is installed when heavy trafflc volumes are present on
both roads and onten prior to the installation of a traffic signal. The volumes
shown on 2B-6 needed to warrant a multiway stop far exceed the actual traffic
volumes.
Stop Sign Removal in Hobby Acres
Page 2
CONCLUSION:
From a traffic engineering and safety standpoint, the vehicle volumes and
physical conditions do not justify the existence of stop signs. I have discussed
the elements of the question with the Police Department and they do not feel that
there are any conditions existing which would justify stop signs. We recommend
for Council consideration that the signs as listed in the original report be
authorized to be removed.
Respectfully submitted,
~~~.~
John J. Strojan
City Engineer
STOP
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ALL WAY
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Rl-l
30" x 30"
RI-3
12" x 6"
RI-4
IS" x 6"
2B-4 Stop Sign (Rl-l)
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STOP sIgns are mtended for use where traffic IS reqUIred to stop
The STOP SIgn shall be an octagon WIth whIte message and border on
a red background. The standard size shall be 30 x 30 mches Where
greater emphasis or vIsIbIlity IS reqUIred, a larger size IS recommended.
On low-volume local streets and secondary roads With low approach
speeds, a 24 x 24 inch size may be used
At a multIway stop intersectIon (sec. 2B-6), a supplementary plate
(RI-3) should be mounted just below each STOP SIgn If the number of
approach legs to the mtersectIon IS three or more, the numeral on the
supplementary plate shall correspond to the actual number of legs, or (
the legend ALL-WAY (RI-4) may be used The supplementary plate
shall have white letters on a red background and shall have a standard
size of 12 x 6 mches (RI-3) or 18 x 6 inches (RI-4)
A STOP SIgn beacon or beacons may be used m conjunction With a
STOP sign as descrIbed m sectIOn 4E-4
Secondary messages shall not be used on STOP sign faces.
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2B-5 Warrants for Stop Sign
Because the STOP sign causes a substantial mconvenience to motor-
IstS, it should be used only where warranted A STOP sign may be
warranted at an mtersectIon where one or more of the followmg condi-
tions exist:
1. IntersectIon of a less Important road WIth a main road where
application of the normal nght-of-way rule IS unduly hazardous.
2 Street entenng a through highway or street.
3. Unsignalized mtersectlon in a signalized area.
4. Other intersections where a combmation of high speed, restncted
View, and serious aCCident record mdlcates a need for control by the
STOP sign.
STOP signs should never be used on the through roadways of ex-
pressways. Properly designed expressway interchanges provide for the (
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28-2
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contmuous flow of traffic, makmg STOP signs unnecessary even on the
entermg roadways. Where at-grade mtersectIons are temporarily JUSti-
fied for local traffic m sparsely populated areas, STOP signs should be
used on the entermg roadways to protect the through traffic STOP
SignS may also be required at the end of dlvergmg roadways at the
mtersectIon with other highways not designed as expressways. In most
of these cases, the speeds will not warrant any great mcrease m the sIgn
sizes
STOP sIgns shall not be erected at mtersectlOns where traffic control
sIgnals are operatmg The confllctmg commands of two types of control
devices are confusmg. If traffic IS reqUIred to stop when the operation
of the stop-and-go signals IS not warranted, the signals should be put on
flashmg operatIon With the red flashing light facing the traffic that
must stop
Where two mam hIghways mtersect, the STOP sign or sIgns should
normally be posted on the mmor street to stop the lesser flow.of traffic
Traffic engmeenng studies, however, may Justify a decIsIOn to mstall a
STOP sign or SIgnS on the major street, as at a three-way mtersectIon
where safety consIderatIOns may JustIfy stoppmg the greater flow of
traffic to permit a left-turning movement.
STOP signs should not be installed mdlscriminately at all unprotected
crossings. The allowance of STOP signs at all such crossings would
eventually breed contempt for both law enforcement, and obedience to
the Sign'S command to stop. STOP SignS may only be used at selected
raIl/highway grade crossings after their need has been determmed by a
detaIled traffic engineering study. Such studies should conSIder ap-
proach speeds, Sight distance restrictions, volumes, accident records,
etc ThiS applicatIon of STOP SIgnS should be an mterIm use perIOd
during which plans for lights, gates or other means of control are bemg
prepared
Portable or part-tIme STOP SignS shall not be used except for emer-
gency purposes Also, STOP SIgnS should not be used for speed control.
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2B-6 Multiway Stop Signs
The "Multiway Stop" mstallatIon is useful as a safety measure at
some locations. It should ordmarily be used only where the volume of
traffic on the mtersecting roads IS approximately equal. A traffic con-
trol Signal is more satisfactory for an mtersection with a heavy volume
of traffic.
Any of the following conditIons may warrant a multIway STOP sign
mstallatlOn (sec. 2B-4)'
1. Where traffic Signals are warranted and urgently needed, the
multI way stop is an intenm measure that can be mstalled qUIckly to
control traffic while arrangements are being made for the Signal mstal-
latIon.
28-3
2 An accident problem, as mdicated by five or more reported accI-
dents of a type susceptible of correctIOn by a multi way stop mstallatlOn
m a 12-month perIOd Such accidents mclude rlght- and left-turn colli- (
slOns as well as right-angle collisIOns
3 Mlmmum traffic volumes:
(a) The total vehicular volume entermg the mtersectlOn from all
approaches must average at least 500 vehicles per hour for
any 8 hours of an average day, and
(b) The combmed vehicular and pedestrian volume from the mi-
nor street or hIghway must average at least 200 umts per
hour for the same 8 hours, With an average delay to mmor
street vehICular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle dur-
mg the maximum hour, but
(c) When the 85-percentIle approach speed of the maJor street
traffIc excee'ds 40 miles per hour, the mmlmum vehicular
volume warrant IS 70 percent of the above reqUIrements
2B-7 Yield Sign (RI-2)
The YIELD sign assigns right-of-way to traffic on certam approaches
to an mtersectlOn. Vehicles controlled by a YIELD sign need stop only
when necessary to avoId mterference with other traffiC that IS given the
right-of-way
The YIELD sign shall be a downward pomtmg, eqUIlateral triangle
havmg a red border band and a white mterlor and the word YIELD In (
red mSlde the border band. The standard size shall be 36 x 36 x 36
mches
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RI-2
36" x 36" x 36"
2B-8 Warrants for Yield Signs
The YIELD sign may be warranted'
1. On a mmor road at the entrance to an mtersectlOn where It IS
necessary to assign right-of-way to the maJor road, but where a stop IS
not necessary at all times, and where the safe approach speed on the
mmor road exceeds 10 miles per hour. (
28-4
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