TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the recommendation to modify the right-of-way control at the intersection of Vest Avenue and Rosewood Avenue
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Katie Rubush, PE, Project Engineer
BACKGROUND:
Staff received a request from a resident to evaluate the intersection of Vest Avenue and Rosewood Avenue. The resident stated that they live adjacent to the intersection and routinely witness cars disregarding the stop signs at this intersection, and they are concerned about the safety of pedestrians, specifically children, at this location. The resident requested that staff consider additional pavement markings and a flashing stop sign at this intersection.
DISCUSSION:
The intersection of Vest Avenue and Rosewood Avenue is a T-intersection. As currently signed, Vest Avenue, the higher volume through roadway, has stop signs for north-south traffic. The terminating leg of the T and the lower volume roadway, Rosewood Avenue, has the right-of-way and does not have a stop sign (see attached Exhibit A).
Per our Master Thoroughfare Plan, Vest Avenue is classified as a Neighborhood Connector Street and Rosewood Avenue is classified as a Local Street.
Staff evaluated the intersection for flashing stop signs, additional crosswalk striping, and stop compliance.
Flashing Stop Signs
The stop signs on Vest Avenue do not meet the warrants to consider installation of a flashing stop sign. This is largely due to the lack of accidents at this intersection in the last three years and because the intersection is not in close proximity to a school.
Crosswalks
The east-west crossing of Vest Avenue does not meet the criteria for crosswalk striping because this crossing is not part of a school walk route as indicated on the City’s School Walk Route plan and is not adjacent to a high pedestrian generator.
Stop Compliance
Stop compliance was observed at this intersection on three occasions at different times of the day. As seen in the tables below, most drivers on Vest Avenue do not comply with the signage at this intersection.
12/3/2024, 10:20 am - 11:20 am
|
|
Vest Ave, Northbound |
Vest Ave, Southbound |
Rosewood Ave, Westbound* |
|
|
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
|
Complete Stop |
4 |
23% |
0 |
0% |
1 |
33% |
|
Half Stop |
10 |
59% |
1 |
17% |
1 |
33% |
|
Blown Stop |
3 |
18% |
5 |
83% |
1 |
33% |
1/24/2025, 7:30 am - 8:30 am
|
|
Vest Ave, Northbound |
Vest Ave, Southbound |
Rosewood Ave, Westbound* |
|
|
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
|
Complete Stop |
9 |
45% |
4 |
27% |
0 |
0% |
|
Half Stop |
8 |
40% |
9 |
60% |
4 |
33% |
|
Blown Stop |
3 |
15% |
2 |
13% |
8 |
67% |
1/24/2025, 2:35 pm - 3:35 pm
|
|
Vest Ave, Northbound |
Vest Ave, Southbound |
Rosewood Ave, Westbound* |
|
|
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
Observed |
% |
|
Complete Stop |
6 |
16% |
6 |
32% |
1 |
25% |
|
Half Stop |
17 |
46% |
6 |
32% |
0 |
0% |
|
Blown Stop |
14 |
38% |
7 |
36% |
3 |
75% |
*There is not a stop sign on Rosewood Avenue, but driver behavior was tracked at the uncontrolled approach.
Upon further review and discussion, the Transportation Team recommends removal of the stop signs on Vest Avenue and the addition of a stop sign on Rosewood Avenue for the following reasons:
1) The stop signs on Vest Avenue are not warranted. The Manual On Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which is approved by the Federal Highway Administration as the National Standard for the use of traffic control devices only provides guidance for the use of stop signs on local roads at intersections with more than three approaches (Section 2B.04). Right-of-way assignment at T-intersection is governed by the Illinois Rules of the Road. The Illinois Rules of the Road states that if there are no traffic control devices, a driver on the terminating road of the intersection must yield the right-of-way to drivers on the through roadway. Removal of the stop signs on Vest Ave would align the signage at this intersection with the MUTCD and in turn, would match driver’s expectations of how this intersection should function.
2) The predominant travel direction at this intersection is north-south on Vest Avenue. The MUTCD states that at an intersection that does not warrant an all-way stop, the lower volume road should stop for the higher volume roadway. Lack of conflict between vehicles likely contributes to the low levels of stop compliance observed at this intersection.
3) The School Walk Routes for both Beebe Elementary School and Jefferson Junior High School indicate students should cross Rosewood Avenue at Vest Avenue. The routes do not suggest crossing Vest Avenue at Rosewood Avenue (see attached Exhibit B). In line with this plan, the safety of students would be improved if the Rosewood crossing was stop-controlled. Additionally, knowing that stop compliance is so low on Vest Avenue, students should be deterred from crossing Vest Avenue at this location.
4) Finally, due to the lack of potential conflict at this intersection and subsequent low levels of stop compliance, these stop signs give pedestrians a false sense of security that they would be protected crossing Vest Avenue at this intersection.
Letters were sent to residents who live near this intersection notifying them that this proposed change would be brought to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) for consideration. Several residents have provided comments to staff in opposition to the proposed signage change. Residents would like these stop signs to remain in place to slow down traffic and provide a location for children to cross Vest Av. Several mention the lack of stop compliance at this intersection and suggest adding additional pavement markings to the intersection.
The MUTCD clearly states that “STOP signs should not be used for speed control” (Section 2B.04). The purpose of stop signs is to assign right-of-way at intersections; they are not traffic-calming devices and have not been approved by TAB or City Council for the use of calming traffic. Unwarranted stop signs have low levels of stop compliance and if drivers do slow, they may actually accelerate afterwards to make up for perceived lost time. Additionally, on a citywide scale, unwarranted stop signs cause stop signs in general to lose their effectiveness. For these reasons, staff recommends the removal of the stop signs on Vest Avenue.
If these stop signs are removed, staff will collect speed data on Vest Avenue. If speeds exceed the thresholds established in the Traffic Calming Toolkit adopted by the City, approved traffic calming measures will be considered at this location.