By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The results of two traffic studies pumped the brakes on the possibility of putting four-way stops at two intersections in Bowling Green.
The reports were presented to the city’s Traffic Commission Wednesday evening by Public Works Director Brian Craft. The commission was one person short of having a quorum, so no action was taken.
Fire Chief Bill Moorman, who chaired the meeting, said that even if a quorum had been present, the commission would not have voted on the recommendations since the studies had not yet been shared with the public.
“I want to make sure everyone has the chance to read these reports,” Moorman said.
Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter said she would be placing the ODOT reports on the city’s website.
The intersections studied were at Pearl Street and South Maple Street, and at Thurstin Avenue and East Merry Street.
At the Pearl-Maple streets intersection, traffic already stops on Maple Street. A traffic count done last December showed the streets lacked the traffic volume needed for a four-way stop.
“It doesn’t come anywhere close,” Craft told the traffic commission.
Just one accident was found from 2017 through 2020, and that involved a stopped vehicle southbound on South Maple Street being struck from behind at the stop sign in icy conditions.
The speed of the traffic on Pearl averages 30 mph, which is not excessive considering the speed limit increases from 25 to 35 mph just west of the intersection.
Residents of the neighborhood have been pushing for stop signs on Pearl Street due to a visibility issue from traffic heading south on South Maple.
South Maple Street between Pearl and West Wooster streets is currently being reconstructed and repaved. Improvements are being planned to the intersection that may help, Craft said. Next week the intersection will get its first crosswalk and will have a stop bar closer to the intersection with Pearl Street.
“I think you’re still going to have to stop and slowly creep out into the intersection,” Craft said.
In the study, Poggemeyer Design Group did not recommend that the two-way stop be changed to a four-way stop. However, Craft said the traffic commission can take into consideration the lack of visibility at the intersection.
Rick Beaverson, a traffic commission member, questioned how the city could reject requests for four-way stops at other intersections that have items blocking the “visibility triangle.”
“Where do you stop?” he asked.
Further discussion on the issue was postponed until neighbors had an opportunity to read the report on the intersection.
The traffic commission members also wanted to delay the discussion of a four-way stop at Thurstin and East Merry, but for a different reason. The group agreed that a new traffic count needs to be conducted when pedestrian and vehicle traffic is back to more normal numbers.
The count lacked the volume of traffic needed for a four-way stop. But it was decided that the traffic count conducted in September does not reflect the customary traffic before COVID-19.
When Thurstin was recently repaved, bike sharrows were added as well as four-crosswalks at the intersection.
Adding to the traffic at the intersection are the “robots” that deliver food from campus.
“That adds a twist,” Moorman said.
Though the Starship robots usually show extreme caution entering the roadway, Beaverson said that earlier on Wednesday he saw one dart out in front of a car on Thurstin Avenue. It was agreed that the commission should check with the police division about any accidents occurring with the robots.
Though the intersection doesn’t meet the requirements for a four-way stop, Craft again said the commission had the authority to consider the recent accidents at the intersection.
A total of six crash reports were found between 2017 and 2019, with none so far in 2020. A crash in 2018 resulted in a serious injury to a pedestrian. Since then, the intersection has been upgraded with high visibility crosswalks.
As a low-cost countermeasure, the report recommended the stop signs on both East Merry Avenue approaches be upgraded to add warnings stating “Cross traffic does not stop.”
