4.2. SR 10-04-1993
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ITEM 4.2.
TO:
MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
PHIL HALS, STREET/PARK SUPT.
DATE: SEPTEMBER 28, 1993
SUBJECT: TRAFFIC CONTROL ISSUES
I would request that the City Council address the following
traffic control issues:
1. MAIN STREET AND GATES AVENUE
Change the paint striping to allow eastbound Main Street
two lanes of traffic; one being straight ahead or right
turn. This minor change should improve the traffic flow
for eastbound traffic.
2. MAIN STREET AND EVANS AVENUE
Post "No Parking" signs on the south side of Main Street,
within 50 feet of Evans Avenue to allow cross traffic on
northbound Evans Avenue better visibility of Main Street
traffic.
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3.
4TH STREET AND NORFOLK AVENUE
The Police Department, Street Department, and City
Engineer agree that a 4-way stop at this intersection is
not warranted. If the Council wishes to change Norfolk
from a yield to a stop street, staff would support that
change.
4. GATES AVENUE AND 3RD STREET
Citizens have requested pedestrian crossing signs for the
painted crosswalk that crosses Gates Avenue. The Police
Department and Street Department support this proposal and
I would request that the City Council authorize the
installation.
5. 175TH EASTBOUND AT FILLMORE
The Police Department and Street Department request that
the City Council authorize changing the yield sign to a
stop sign.
6.
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND JACKSON AVENUE
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The Senior High Administration has requested stop signs
for both exits and has offered to purchase and erect the
signs if the City Council authorizes them. The Police
Department and Street Department support this proposal.
P.O. Box 490 · 13065 Orono Parkway · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
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7.
NO PARKING 2 A.M. TO 6 A.M. SCHOOL STREET WEST OF PROCTOR
I request that the City Council authorize this
installation because overnight parking by apartment
residents narrows the street to single lane traffic at
times. This type of parking restriction is consistent
with other apartment buildings in the City.
8. No Parkinq - Norfolk Avenue by Handke Pit
A resident has expressed a concern for Norfolk Avenue
between Main Street and 4th Street. Presently, cars are
parking on both side of the street, reducing Norfolk
Avenue to one lane.
I would request that the City Council authorize
installation of "No Parking during school hours" signs on
the west side of Norfolk Avenue from Main Street to 4th
Street.
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TO:
FROM:
TOM ZERWAS, CHIEF OF POLICE
TERRY MAURER, CITY ENGINEER
PHIL HALS, STREET/PARK SUP~
DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 1993
SUBJECT: 4 WAY STOP, 4TH STREET AND
NORFOLK AVENUE
Several residents have expressed a concern about
traffic on 4th Street, west of the Dairy
requested a 4 way stop intersection.
the speed of
Queen, and have
Would you please send me your comments in a memo that I may
forward on to the City Council.
I personally do
control and I would
Council action.
not support the 4 way stop concept for speed
appreciate your recommendation for City
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P.O. Box 490 · 13065 Orono Parkway · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425
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Memorandum
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Phil Hals, street/Park
Superintendent
of Police ~.
To:
From:
Thomas D. Zerwas, Chief
Date:
September 23, 1993
Subject:
Police Department
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Several
Phil, this is a response to several memos I have received from you
in the past month, as well as recommendations on my part.
August 18 - Main St/Gates Av. paint striping.
I concur with your recommendation and feel this would improve
traffic flow in that area.
August 18 - Main St/Evans Av.
I concur with your recommendation and feel this would improve
traffic safety and snow removal this winter.
September 8 - Four way stop at 4th and Norfolk
I agree that a four way stop is not appropriate at this time.
If you agree, I would not have a problem with the yield signs
on north and southbound Norfolk being changed to stop signs.
I have a couple of requests that I would like addressed on your
part.
Gates Av. and 3rd st. currently have a painted cross walk. I
have received several requests from citizens requesting that
cross walk signs be erected at this intersection, if you
agree. I would appreciate if they were installed before
winter.
175th Av. and Fillmore st. - I have received several requests
to have the yield sign on 175th Av. NW at Fillmore be changed
to a stop sign. If you agree, I would like the City Council
to authorize this change.
Elk River Senior High Parking Lot - The Elk River Sr. High
Administration would like to see stop signs erected at the
east parking lot exits onto Jackson Av. If the City
authorizes these signs, the school administrators said they
would purchase and erect them if the City requested.
Police Parking Entrance - I would like to have a sign erected
that indicates this entrance is for "Police Employees Only".
Card Key Reader - I would also like, if possible, some type of
barrier built to protect our card reader in the middle of our
drive.
Phil, if you have any problems with my requests, please let me
know.
13065 Orono Parkway. P.O. Box 723 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-2324 · Fax (612) 441-8937
_ / f ~ ~ ~ _./ J. CONSULTING ENGINEERS
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MEMO
TO:
Terry Maurer
Elk River City Engineer
George Stuempfig, P.E. <;M7
MSA Traffic Engineer
FROM:
DATE:
September 2, 1993
RE:
STOP SIGN REQUEST AT 4TH STREET AND NORFOLK AVENUE
(File No: 230-000-00)
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This memo is in response to a request for stop sign control at the 4th Street/Norfolk Avenue
intersection as an attempt to reduce speed on 4th Street. The Minnesota Manual on Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MMUlCD) states that because they are a substantial inconvenience
to motorists, stop signs should only be used where warranted. The MMUTCD lists four
warrants for stop sign control:
1. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the
normal right-of-way rule is unduly hazardous.
2. Street entering a through highway or street.
3. Unsignalized intersection in a signalized area.
4. Other intersections where a combination of high speed, restricted view, and
serious accident record indicates a need for control by the STOP sign.
Unless there is a serious accident record at this intersection, it does not appear that stop signs
on 4th Street are warranted.
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Beyond the warrants, the MMUlCD specifically states that stop signs should not be used for
speed control. This is because they generally don't work. They cause additional delay to
vehicles, and beyond the intersection vehicles typically accelerate to the speed they would
travel without the stop sign control. In some cases midblock speeds are even greater with
9800 SHELARD PARt<MIAY, SUITE 102, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55441 612-546-0432
1959 SLOAN PLACE, SUITE 200, ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 55117 612-774-6021 . Equal Opportunity Employer
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Stop Sign Request
September 2, 1993
Page Two
stop sign control than without it. If a jurisdiction begins placing traffic control devices at
locations where the general public does not perceive their need, it can lead to a disregard for
those devices on the part of some people, and consequently safety problems. It can also shift
the speed control problem to another location.
Several options are available for speed reduction:
1. greater enforcement of speed limits,
2. speed humps, speed bumps, rumble strips,
3. narrowing the roadway at strategic locations or along its total length,
4. improving operations on T.H. 10 and/or Main Street to make 4th Street less
desirable as an alternative thru route.
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STOP
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[
AL L WAY
]
Rl-l
30" x 30"
Rl-3
12" x 6"
Rl-4
18" x 6"
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2B-4 Stop Sign (Rl-l)
STOP signs are intended 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 inches. 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 multi way 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 intersection 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 inches (RI-3) or 18 x 6 inches (RI-4).
A STOP sign beacon or beacons may be used in conjunction with a
STOP sign as described in 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 inconvenience to motorists,l
it sho~ld be usedo~lIY'~h~~~;~rra.ntedE A STOP sign may be warranted at
an intersection where one or more of the following conditions exist:
1. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where
application of the normal right-of-way rule is unduly hazardous.
2. Street entering a through highway or street.
3. Unsignalized intersection in a signalized area.
4. Other intersections where a combination of high speed, restricted
view, and serious accident record indicates a need for control by the STOP
sIgn.
Prior to the application of these warrants, consideration should be given \
to less restrictive measures, such as the YIELD sign (2B-7) where a full
Rev. 9/84
28-2
11-48 \c)
Rev. 3
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.op is not necessary at all times. Periodic reviews of existing installations
may be desirable to determine whether, because of changed conditions,
the use of less restrictive control or no control could accommodate traffic
demands safely and more effectively.
STOP signs should never be used on the through roadways of
expressways. Properly designed expressway interchanges provide for the
continuous flow of traffic, making STOP signs unnessary even on the
entering roadways. Where at-grade intersections are temporarily justified
for local traffic in sparsely populated areas, STOP signs should be used on
the entering roadways to protect the through traffic. STOP signs may also
be required at the end of diverging roadways at the intersection with other
highways not designed as expressways. In most of these cases, the speeds
will not warrant any great increase in the sign sizes.
STOP signs shall not be erected at intersections where traffic control
signals are operating. The conflicting commands of two types of control
devices are confusing. If traffic is required to stop when the operation of
the stop-and-go signals is not warranted, the signals should be put on
flashing operation with the red flashing light facing the traffic that must.
stop.
Where two main highways intersect, the STOP sign or signs should
,ormally be posted on the minor street to stop the lesser flow of traffic.
... 'raffic engineering studies, however, may justify a decision to install a
STOP sign or signs on the major street, as at a three-way intersection
where safety considerations may justify stopping the greater flow of
traffic to permit a left-turning movement.
STOP signs may be used at selected railroad-highway grade crossings
only after their need has been determined by a detailed traffic eng~neering
study. Use of the STOP sign at railroad-highway grade crossings is
described in Section 8B-9.
Portable or part-time STOP signs shall not be used except for
emergency purposes. Also, STOP signs should not be used for speed'
control~"
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2B-6 Multiway Stop Signs.:
The "Multiway Stop" installation is useful as a safety measure at some
locations. It should ordinarily be used only where the volume of traffic on
the intersecting roads is approximately equal. A traffic control signal is
more satisfactory for an intersection with a heavy volume of traffic.
Any of the following conditions may warrant a multi way STOP sign
installation (sec. 2B-4):
1. Where traffic signals are warranted and urgently needed, the
.ultiway stop is an interim measure that can be installed quickly to
control traffic while arrangements are being made for the signal
installation.
28-3
Rev. 9/84
11-48 (c)
Rev. 3
VIII-5 (c)
Rev. 2
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2. An accident problem, as indicated by five or more reported accidents
of a type susceptible of correction by a multiway stop installation in a
12-month period. Such accidents include right- and left-turn collisions as
well as right-angle collisions.
3. Minimum traffic volumes:
(a) The total vehicular volume entering the intersection from all
approaches must average at least 500 vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of
an average day, and
(b) The combined vehicular and pedestrian volume from the minor
street or highway must average 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, but
(c) When the 85-percentile approach speed of the major street traffic
exceeds 40 miles per hour, the minimum vehicular volume warrant is 70
percent of the above requirements.
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2B-7 Yield Sign (Rl-2)
The YIELD sign assigns right-of-way to traffic on certain approaches to
an intersection. Vehicles controlled by a YIELD sign need stop only when
necessary to avoid interference with other traffic that is given the right-of-
way.
The YIELD sign shall be a downward pointing, equilateral triangle
having a red border band and a white interior and the word YIELD in red
inside the border band. The standard size shall be 36 x 36 x 36 inches.
.
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2B-8 Warrants for Yield Signs
The YIELD sign may be warranted:
1. At the entrance to an intersection where it is necessary to assign
right-of-way and where the safe approach speed on the entrance exceeds
10 miles per hour.
2. On the entrance ramp to an expressway where an acceleration lane is
not provided.
11-37 (c)
P-".5
28-4
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2.
Far-side stops may be better on streets with no parking; at
transfer points; where buses turn left; and at locations where
many vehicles turn right. Far-side bus stops also appear to
reduce certain types of pedestrian accidents.
VII. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ON LOCAL STREETS
A. The management of traffic on local streets in residential areas is
frequently aimed at reducing or restricting vehicular traffic move-
ment.
1. On heavily travelled streets, residents are bothered more by
continuous traffic problems such as high speeds, noise, and
danger to children.
2. On less travelled streets, the perceived problems are more
intermittant such as an occasional noisy or speeding vehicle
or an occasional large truck.
B.
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:Traffic improvements.)~ust beplallned.on a.. systems,; basis to avoid"
simply shifting the problem to ,another location. '
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1. In some cases, the most efficient solutions will involve opera-
tional changes at a location other than where the problem is
percei ved. It is important to remember,to frea t .the cause _ ,....,
rather than the effect. As an exampl e ,i t.may.bemore~ffect...,r
tive,.to,Jmprove,.operationson a.nearby arterial' street rather ;~~
. than trying ,toi,;implelTIentpiecemeal traffic restraints throughout
a residential area. ~
2. In other cases, traffic management techniques may be used to
IIlocal izell the character of a street as a means of reducing
through traffic and lowering speeds.
a. One of the primary characteristics of an arterial street
is its continuity; a local street which has continuity
may invite diversion of through traffic.
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C.
b. Discontinuities can be created through the systematic use
of cul-de-sacs, diverters, traffic circles, barrier medians
on cross streets, one-way street patterns, etc.
c. Such measures must be used with extreme caution since they
affect access by local residents and deliveries, as well
as fire, police, and other emergency services.
d. In retrofitting an existing local street system, temporary
devices have been successfully used to test alternative
configurations before permanent construction took place.
Positive physical controls have as a common characteristic the positiv--'\
enforcement or prohibition of a specific action through the direct I
physical presence and character of the device itself. Physical controls
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8. Traffic circles have been employed at low-volume, local street
intersections to control speed. Speed control circles occupy
a large central portion of the intersections, thereby forcing
traffic to slow in negotiating its way around these circles.
In practice, circles were found to hav~ relatively little speed
control effectiveness. .
9. A choker is' a narrowing of the street, either at an intersection
or at midblock, to constrain the width of the travelled way.
Except where the narrowing is extreme enough to limit use of the
"choked" section to one direction at a time, chokers have gener-
ally not had significant effect on traffic volume or speed.
D. Passive controls involve the use of regulatory signs and markings to
inform the driver that a specific action is not permitted, while not
physically preventing the action. As such, passive controls are more
easily violated than most physical controls. Their advantages include
the fact that some can be in force during only portions of the day.
They also impose fewer constraints on emergency vehicles, which can
ignore them when necessary with little problem or hazard. Experience
has shown that even with the violations, some passive controls produce
a significant improvement in the volume and speed of traffic on local
streets.
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1. The most effective form of passive control appears to be an area
system of one-wa streets. Either a "full maze" system or a
"l imited entry" pattern Figure 1) can substantially discourage
through traffic by creating system discontinuities. They have
minimal adverse effects on emergency vehicles and they tend to
be more respected by motorists than other "passive" devices.
One-way streets may also result in substantial reductions in
accidents at local street intersections by reducing potential
traffic conflicts.
2. Turn prohibitions involve the use of standard "No Right-Turn" or
"No Left-Turn" signs, with or without peak hour limitations.
These prevent turning movements onto local streets, thereby
reducing volume. They are best used at the perophery of a
residential area rather than within it. Turn prohobitions are
generally more effective and more easily enforceable than
"No Thru Traffic" prohibitions used under similar conditions.
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3. Although.thebasic purpose of stopsignsjs to assign right of
way ,..they.have,frequently been. used in attemptsto.cpntrob. <
traffic, volume and .speeds on locaL streets. Such use of stop
,signs is generally inappropriate and ineffective for speed.
contro] , and excessive use of them (especially 4;way stops), <
breeds contempt' for all traffic control devices..;; Speed reduc-,
_tions are;generally limited to within about 200geet of the .
stop sign, while midblock speeds may actually increase. How-
ever, if they reduce the speed of, or divert the few very fast
drivers who tend to be the most disturbing to residents, resi-
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One-WayMue
Umlted Entrance
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Figure 1:
EXAMPLES OF ONE-WAY STREET PATTERNS TO
DISCOURAGE THROUGH TRAFFIC
(Source: Ref. 3)
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dents may perceive them to have had a significant speed reduction
impact. Where extensive use is made of two-way stops for inter-
section control, the pattern of two-way stops in a local street
system should be carefully established to avoid setting up mini
through streets.
4. Traffic signals are generally inappropriate on a local street,
even at its intersection with a major street, and may attract
increased traffic volumes to the local street.
5. Speed limit signs have generally been found to have little effect
on traffic speed on local streets, unless constantly enforced. If
speed limits are lower than necessary, many drivers will simply
ignore them. Speed limits should always be determined by traffic
engineering analyses of roadway conditions, accident records, and
the prevailing speeds.
E. Table 1 is a summary of obse~ved traffic effects and characteristics
of local street traffic management techniques.
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