97-17 DESIGNATING STOP INTERSECTION

Home Browse Search

EXCERPTS FROM TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMISSION MINUTES Thursday, February 13, 1997 Request from Decatur Memorial Hospital for all-way stops at the intersection of Edward / Hay and Kenwood/Union. Newell stated that this request came from John Lovelace of Decatur Memorial Hospital. The Commission and City Council previously voted to allow the vacation of Union Street between Kenwood and McKinley and Edward Street north of Hay. Both segments are now private drives. The Hospital sent a letter indicating that they intend to install stop signs on the private portion of Edward and also on the private portion of Hay Street. They request that the City put up reciprocal or complementing stop signs on the south side of those intersections, making them all-way stops. City staff reviewed the traffic counts and accident history. There were no recorded accidents at Kenwood and Union, and Newell believes that a four-way stop is not wananted at this intersection. The accident rate at Hay and Edward Streets is higher than average and there is a poor sight distance problem, so a four-way stop is required at that intersection. Newell added that this is a difficult situation in that these peripheral streets largely serve the Hospital campus. Lovelace stated that one of the reasons they want a stop sign at Kenwood and Union is because of the SILJ office building now under construction. There will be a significant increase in pedestrian traffic between the Hospital and the new building. They intend to install a stop sign on their portion of Union Street north of Kenwood. The concern is that traffic may endanger pedestrians. They envision that physicians-in-training will walk back and forth between the Hospital and the new building. He asked if the City would install a stop sign on the southeast corner of the intersection if they block the street off as is planned in the future. Newell advised that the standard design for a three legged intersection would be to let one of the streets have continuous movement and the other to stop. If the Hospital installs a stop sign for southbound traffic with no City signs for northbound traffic, the City would install signs to state that oncoming traffic does not stop. Additional signage could be added for pedestrian traffic to indicate that there might be a hazard. Battalion Chief Mark Hansen believes it would be confusing to have three legs stop instead of a11 four. He thinks it would be better to install a stop sign, even though one is not warranted, instead of installing signs that say other traffic does not stop. Newell would be concerned that the Hospital is dictating to the City how they should sign the streets. However, as stated earlier, this is a special situation in that the streets actually serve the Hospital campus.