Stopping in all directions

Traffic in the east and west bound lanes came to a momentary standstill last week as two new stop signs were installed at the intersection of Highway 28/29/114. The new stop signs were installed by the Department of Transportation on Wednesday, and feature a solar-powered LED light that blink red to warn motorists of the upcoming intersection. While the intersection previously featured stop signs on the north and south bound lanes, the new stop signs will bring traffic to a stop in all directions. ¶ The stop signs were installed at the request of the Starbuck City Council and follow years of debating the best course of action to cut down on the amount of traffic accidents that occur at the intersection each year. After debating everything from leaving the intersection as a two-way stop to installing a stop light, the council approved changing the intersection to a four-way stop in March.

The measure was officially approved by the Starbuck City Council by a 4-1 margin with Councilman Jamie Logan voting in dissent.

The proposal to make the intersection a four-way stop came from the Department of Transportation in an attempt to cut down on the amount of accidents at the busy intersection. In addition to installing the signs the DOT will also be picking up the total cost of installation and maintenance. Since the intersection will be a blind one of sorts for vehicles traveling in the east bound lane, the DOT also agreed to install a warning sign to signal the stop sign ahead. A stop-ahead pavement message was also painted on the highway.