Woods stop-sign removal project
nears halfway point with no problems

Grosse Pointe Woods is closing in on the halfway point of its stop-sign removal project, designed to bring the city into compliance with the Michigan Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. So far, so good, and no accidents.

The city is in the process of taking out 37 signs by the end of summer.

Residents near the targeted signs are notified by letter in advance of each removal. Some residents have complained, said Sally Beghin, the Woods' traffic safety officer.

“Most come from residents who did not know about the sign removal,” she said. 

Some of the stop signs are being replaced with yield signs. And for 60 days after each removal, a sign is posted warning drivers that cross-street traffic does not stop.

The removals haven't caused any obvious problems, said Beghin, who has conducted traffic surveys on a few of the affected streets.

“I have done before-and-after speed studies which indicated speeds on the selected streets remain unchanged except for two streets that now have lower speeds than they did with stop signs in place,” she said.

Beghin’s findings are supported by studies that found that stop signs can actually increase speed, noise and pollution and decrease pedestrian safety.

The Michigan traffic manual states that stop signs should not be used for speed control because of their ineffectiveness.

The complete list of intersections won't be released until the project is complete, but the following intersections had signs removed on these dates: 

Bournemouth & Raymond, 11/7/08
Prestwick & Bramcaster, 11/7/08
Raymond & Kingsville, 11/7/08
Jackson & Vanantwerp, 1/14/09
Morningside & Moorland, 1/14/09
Vank & Canterbury, 1/14/09
Stanhope & Eastbourne, 1/14/09
Yorktown & Westbrook, 3/16/09
Prestwick & Eastbourne, 3/16/09
Helen & Fleetwood, 3/16/09
Fairford & Wedgewood, 3/16/09
Wedgewood & Canterbury, 4/21/09
Sunningdale & Holiday, 4/21/09
N. Renaud & S. Renaud, 4/21/09
 

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