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Peoria residents and staff are hoping a new pilot traffic control tool will make the Acacia District safer.
The program will include new stop signs on 36” poles mounted on an orange and yellow, reflectorized barrel.
The first location to use this new sign format is the four-way, all-way stop at 71st Avenue and Cholla Street, adjacent to Sundance Elementary School, where residents say drivers have been inadvertently running the stop sign.
Additionally, city crews had reported the stop signs at this intersection have been knocked down by motorists on numerous occasions, requiring re-installation.
“There have been several near misses at this intersection,” said Councilwoman Vicki Hunt, who represents the Acacia District. “I hope to alleviate that problem by placing the stop sign where it is more visible.”
The existing four way stop was marked by signs on 30” poles, but Development and Engineering Director Adina Lund said the taller signs will assist drivers who were not recognizing the previous stop signs.
Cost for the improvements to the intersection was about $1,500.
“In order to make the stop signs more visible to motorists to increase stopping and to prevent unintentional knock downs, the city decided to make the signs more noticeable by installing bright yellow barrels with orange retroreflective tape and signs on the posts,” Ms. Lund said.
“This is a relatively inexpensive treatment that has been used in other Valley cities and is being tested for the first time at the Peoria intersection. Engineering staff and police will continue to monitor the intersection to determine if more motorists stop at the intersection and if the asphalt-mounted signs are hit fewer times as a result of the new eye-catching barrels and signs.”
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
Philip Haldiman is a third generation Arizona native with brief residencies on the east and west coasts.
He has bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Journalism at Arizona State University, and is an award winning journalist with more than 15 years worth of experience in reporting and editing.
Most recently, he took first place for investigative reporting and third place for best sustained coverage or series at the 2023 Arizona Newspapers Association awards.
In his free time, he produces an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
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