'Stop!' Say the Residents at 171st and Leclaire

Residents wary of an intersection in their subdivision will soon see a little relief, after the approved the installation of a stop sign near 171st and Leclaire.

Residents have voiced concern over the nearby intersection of George Brennan Highway and 171st Street, Ald. Laura Clemons said. The intersection is dark, and prone to speeding, residents told Clemons.

The stop sign at 171st and Leclaire, though not at the exact intersection, should remind drivers headed toward 171st and George Brennan Highway to drive slowly.

"We wanted to do something to help residents, somehow," Clemons said.

An earlier, closer look at the intersection of 171st and George Brennan Highway showed that it did not meet the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices federal guidelines for viability of a stop or yield sign.

Those requirements state:

• An intersection of a less important road with a main road, where application of a normal right of way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law. — Nothing at this intersection fits this requirement.
• A street entering a designated through highway or street. — Nothing at this intersection fits this requirement.
• An unsignalized intersection in a signalized area. — This intersection does not meet the criteria. 

Other criteria for application of a stop or yield sign include"

• Combined vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian volume entering the intersection from all approaches averages more than 2,000 units per day. — This intersection does not meet the criteria. 
• The ability to see conflicting traffic on an approach is not sufficient to allow a road user to stop or yield in compliance with the normal right of way rule if such stopping or yielding is necessary. — This intersection does not meet the criteria. 
• Crash records indicate that 5 of more crashes that involve failure to stop or yield the normal right of way rule have been reported in a three-year period, or that three or more such crashes have been reported in a three-year period. — No records of crashes found at this intersection. 

The intersection currently has no painted crosswalk, and no posted speed limit signs.

With the council's approval, a painted crosswalk will be added, a stop sign installed, and speed limit signs will be posted on the approaching streets.

"If you're going to be headed out there (171st and George Brennan), you have to slow down," Clemons said. "It will make them (drivers) a little more conscious."