Stop Signs: Please, Less NOT More

Dave Glen, Bob Roth and  Vic Walker, Letter to the Editor

While we appreciate the fact that Lloyd Coverdale, Contributor, Pincher Creek Voice, is relatively new to our Community, we would respectfully suggest that he may wish to reconsider his call for more STOP signs on Main Street. (click to read "Stop sign needed")

It would seem that Mr. Cloverdale's call for more signage comes from but one specific incident he recently witnessed when in the waiting area of the arena during a Cowboy's game. While seemingly justifiable on the surface, his suggestion for a STOP on Main Street, in front of the Arena, fails to consider the unintended consequences of his well meaning call for action.


Specifically, vehicles making an extra STOP on Main will:
1.Degrade air quality and emit more noxious fumes within the immediate area where many residents live and play.
2.Emit more carcinogenic particles into the air from break wear.
3.Increase the noise level, at all hours, 24/7/365, as vehicles stop and accelerate, much to the dismay of local residents.
4.Increase the cost to all motorists, in terms of both fuel consumption and vehicle wear.
5.Actually, have the opposite effect from what the writer intended, and decrease the safety for pedestrians within the immediate area.
References for the above may be found at: http://troymi.gov/trafficengineering/multiway.htm
and http://www.ies-uk.org.uk/non-exhaust/brakewear.html

We assume that, being new to our Community, Mr. Cloverdale is probably unaware of the recent efforts, of a significant number of the residents around the corner of Robertson Ave. and Main Street, to have the 4-Way STOP at that intersection REMOVED. Removed, specifically because of the reasons outlined above. While the Residents were primarily provoked by the excessive noise caused by all traffic stopping and accelerating 24/7/365 at this unnecessary, in our opinion, 4-Way STOP, we did reference, with Council, the risk these signs pose to pedestrians within the area. Again, and from the first above reference, which is a compilation of numerous studies of 4-Way STOPs:

1. Multi-way stops do not control speeds. Twenty-two papers were cited for these findings.

3. Before-After studies show multi-way stop signs do not reduce speeds on residential streets. Nineteen references found this to be their finding.

4. Unwarranted multi-way stops increased speed some distance from intersections. The studies hypothesizing that motorists are making up the time they lost at the "unnecessary" stop sign. Fifteen references found this to be their finding.

6. Safety of pedestrians is decreased at unwarranted multi-way stops, especially small children. It seems that pedestrians expect vehicles to stop at the stop signs but many vehicles have gotten in the habit of running the "unnecessary" stop sign. Thirteen references found this to be their finding.

A fair question would be, why do we refer to this as an unnecessary 4-Way STOP?

Because it was moved to this location, the Robertson and Main intersection, from in front of the arena, in 2004, to accommodate the redesign of the school bus routes. The ONLY reason ever stated for this was to “...facilitate the increased bus traffic directed to this intersection....” Since school buses “use” this intersection for only a small part of only each school day, or approximately 2 percent of the time, local residents sought either the removal of the signs on Main, or some alternative to stopping all the traffic on Main, all the time. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in making our point with Council, and the motion to remove the STOP signs on Main was defeated 4-3.

Further to that, we understand that Councillor Smyth attempted to have a speed zone set up, along Main Street, from a location North of the Robertson Avenue intersection to somewhere near the St, John's Avenue corner. That suggestion too, unfortunately, did not meet with the necessary Council approval required for implementation.

Is, as Mr. Cloverdale contends, this section of our Main Street an accident waiting to happen?

With the concentration of recreation and leisure facilities between St. John's and Robertson Avenues, the Town has created an outstanding set of facilities for a Community of our size. Fortunately, these venues are well used by Town and Rural people of all ages. That, of course, does cause a lot of foot traffic along this section of our Main Street, including into the dark hours of winter evenings. Unfortunately, the Council of 2004 saw fit to locate a staging area for high speed vehicle “take offs” at the East end of this zone - a 4 Way STOP. Is this an accident waiting to happen? Should we take comfort from another near miss? Is this a concern worthy of Council's attention?

Our contention is that it is incumbent upon this Council to get the big picture view of what the problems and risks are within this section of our Main Street and proceed accordingly. The good news is that, in correspondence received over the Summer, we understand that Council may be doing just that in their 2012 budget deliberations.

Looking forward to quieter, and safer, days in 2012.

All the Best for the New Year to all Readers,

Dave Glen, Bob Roth, Vic Walker


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