HomeMy WebLinkAboutTraffic Policy Multiway Stop Signs
☒City Council Approved: 9/21/2010
☐City-Wide Revised:
☐Department
MULTI-WAY STOP SIGNS
PURPOSE: The purpose of the multiway stop sign policy is to provide fair and uniform treatment of
all requests for multiway, all way, and 4-way stop signs. Multiway stop signs can be an effective safety
measure if properly warranted. They should not be installed inappropriately where they may be ignored
by drivers, needlessly interrupt traffic flow, and negatively affect fuel consumption, the environment, or
cause needless noise. A consistent application of the policy serves both the motorist and resident
within the City.
PROCESS: The staff member you have contacted will formalize your traffic safety concern or
request. That person will work with you and gather the pertinent facts to help clearly define the
problem and seek a solution. City staff will review those facts, determine if the request is warranted and
will share this determination with you. If you disagree with the recommendation or can bring for the
additional information and/or facts that are persuasive as related to the City warrants/policies for the
requested issue, you may request that the Traffic Safety Committee review the issue.
POLICY: 1. The provisions of the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) shall be followed.
2. Relevant speed, volumes, accident records and sight obstructions shall be reviewed when
considering the installation of a stop sign.
3. Absent engineering data which clearly indicates the need for a multiway stop sign,
control devices at an intersection will remain unchanged.
4. Any of the following conditions may warrant a multiway stop sign installation:
a. Where traffic control signals are justified, the multiway stop is an interim
measure that can be installed quickly to control traffic while arrangements
are being made for the installation of the traffic control signal.
b. A crash problem, as indicated by 5 or more reported crashes in a 12-month period that are
susceptible to correction by a multi-way stop installation. Such crashes include right- and left-turn
collisions as well as right-angle collisions.
c. Minimum volumes:
1. The vehicular volume entering the intersection from the major
street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 300
vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day, and
2. The combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volume entering
the intersection from the minor street approaches (total of both
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approaches) 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 highest hour, but
3. If the 85th-percentile approach speed of the major street traffic
exceeds 40 mph, the minimum vehicular volume warrants are 70
percent of the above values.
d. Where no single criterion is satisfied, but where Criteria B, C.1, and C.2 are all satisfied to 80
percent of the minimum values. Criterion C.3 is excluded from this condition.
5. Multiway stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to control speed.
6. Multiway stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to control volume.