Downtown Traffic Study

A traffic study that was conducted in 2012 determined the traffic signals Downtown were not warranted.  In 2021, an updated study was conducted and investigated data in more detail. The most recent report studied traffic volumes, traffic signal warrants, crash history, pedestrian timing and safety, sight distance, and parking.

The Manual for Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is the law governing all traffic control devices and is used all over the country.  In this manual, there are nine warrants that are evaluated.  They consist of traffic volumes, crashes, pedestrian volume, and other factors.  If even one warrant is met, a traffic signal is considered warranted and likely the best fit for the intersection.  None of the intersections that were studied Downtown met any warrants and therefore do not meet the legal requirements for a signal.  The new study also considered other factors, and still no warrants were met. If a signal is not warranted, the risk of some types of crashes increases.

The solution to the unwarranted signals is to replace them with 2- and 4-way stops. This will increase safety and meet the legal requirements for traffic control at the intersections.  

The City is also installing additional safety measures for drivers and pedestrians such as high visibility cross walks, additional pavement markings for drivers, portable crosswalk signs at intersections, and construction of "bump outs" at the intersections to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians, shorten and improve safety for pedestrians crossing at the intersections, and the ability to remove of aging infrastructure that increases safety risks.