Traffic Conditions- Intersection of 12th Ave No & 2nd St NoREPORT ON TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT THE
INTERSECTION OF 12th AVENUE NORTH 2nd STREET NORTH
This report is the result of a study of the above intersection authorized by
the City Council after a petition was received on October 20, 1981 from Mr. Carl S.
Norman, 238 13th Avenue North requesting consideration of having the stop signs at
this intersection removed. (See petition). Mr. Norman stated that the lowering
of the grade at the intersection and the fact that the railroad does not cross this
intersection would make it not necessary to retain the stop signs at this location.
(A 4 way stop was authorized by the Council at 12th Avenue 4th Street North on
December 20, 1977).
The existing condition is a 4 way stop. Second Street North intersects 12th
Avenue on the east side and an alley intersects 12th Avenue on the west side. This
4 way stop condition has been in existence for many years. The Chicago Northwest-
ern Railroad (recently abandoned) tracks cut through immediately south of the actual
intersection of the streets. This in itself justified a stop for 12th. In addition,
the uphill grade on 12th Avenue for northbound due to the railroad track restricted
visibility making an unsafe condition for traffic on 12th and for traffic on the side
street and alley desiring to enter 12th Avenue. In the summer of 1981, the Council
requested and received permission from the Board of Commissioners, Hennepin County
Regional Railroad Authority to lower the railroad elevation where the abandoned tracks
crossed 12th Avenue by 2.6 feet.(see attached resolution) This work was done by
Alexander Construction Company in conjunction with other street improvements being
done at the same time on 12th Avenue. The street traffic control was continued as a
4 way stop.
The Engineering Department has made traffic counts at the above intersection in
order to provide data for Council consideration of possible traffic control changes.
(See attached Sheet A). This data is compared to the warrants (justifications, reasons,
etc.) for installing or removing a traffic control device, taken from the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. These standards have been
adopted by the Federal Highway Administration and adopted by the Minnesota Commissioner
of Highways pursuant to authority by Minnesota Statutes 1971, for use on streets and
highways of the State.
The attached counts (Sheet A) were taken over a six hour period on January 12, 1982
and January 13, 1982 by manual observations. Sheet B shows the hourly count of vehicles
approaching the intersection for each of the four approaches. In order to meet the
standards for a 4 way stop, the traffic volumes from all approaches must average at
least 500 vehicles per hour for any eight hours of an average day. The highest total
is between 4 -5 p.m. (399 vehicles). See attached pages 32 33 from the manual for
the Warrants for Stop Sign (2B5) and Multiway Stop Signs (2B6).
Observation of compliance with the existing stop signs showed the following:
1. "Rolling stops" were made by vehicles from a low of
6.0% of the vehicles counted (4:00 -5:00 p.m.) to a
high of 20.5% (6:00 -7:00 a.m.) of the vehicles counted.
2. Non stops were made by vehicles from a low of 3.25%
(4:00 -5:00 p.m.) of the vehicles counted to a high of
19% (6:00 -7:00 a.m.) of the vehicles counted.
Attached is a copy of the Police Department comments and recommendations.
TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 12th 2nd
Page 2
SUMMARY
From a traffic volume count for the peak hours, the volume of vehicles at the
intersection does not warrant a 4 way stop. The stop on 2nd Street and the alley
on the west side is warranted as a street entering a through street. (Sec 2B5 2).
The visibility condition has been removed by the lowering of the abandoned railroad
crossing 12th Avenue.
The pedestrian count crossing 12th at this intersection is very small (see
attached Sheet C) could be somewhat higher when weather permits activities at the
athletic field, but unlikely to be high enough to meet the warrant for a stop sign
under 2B -6 3 A for combined vehicular and pedestrians volume from the minor street.
The standards also state that stop signs should not be used for speed control.
However, it is an accepted fact that many people feel that stop signs are an effective
control of speed. If the stop signs on 12th Avenue were removed, the section between
First Street North and Fourth Street North would be non -stop. For comparison, 17th
Avenue North is non -stop between Excelsior Avenue and Highway #7. Fifth Avenue North
is non -stop between Excelsior Avenue the the traffic signals at Minnetonka Mills Road.
Respectfully submitted,
John J. Strojan
City Engineer
1 -15 -82
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