Traffic Safety

The City follows nationally recognized traffic guidelines to determine when stop signs are appropriate. These standards consider traffic volume, vehicle speeds, and pedestrian crossing needs. In many situations, other solutions provide better safety benefits than installing additional stop signs.

Stop signs are effective when used in the right locations, but installing them where they aren’t needed can create new safety issues. Drivers may become less likely to obey stop signs, speed up between intersections, or pay less attention to pedestrians.

Stop signs are not intended to slow down traffic or divert it to other streets. Their main purpose is to clearly assign right-of-way at intersections.

A crosswalk can feel safe just because it’s marked, but markings alone don’t protect pedestrians. Studies have shown that accidents are actually more likely in marked crosswalks than in unmarked ones — often because pedestrians feel a false sense of security and may be less cautious when crossing.

Drivers need much more distance to stop than pedestrians do, and simply painting lines on the road doesn’t guarantee vehicles will stop in time.

Marked crosswalks are used to guide pedestrians to the safest crossing points, but they should only be installed where they truly improve safety. In all cases, pedestrians must stay alert and careful, even when crossing at a marked crosswalk.

While it’s a common belief that posting a lower speed limit will slow drivers down, research shows that drivers respond more to the design of the road and traffic conditions than to speed limit signs.

In Minnesota, the maximum speed limits for passenger vehicles are:

• 65 or 70 mph on freeways outside urban areas

• 55 or 60 mph on urban freeways and highways

• 30 mph on residential streets

• 10 mph in alleys

Even if not posted, these limits still apply. Intermediate speed limits between 30 and 55 mph are set by MnDOT after engineering studies that review road conditions, crash history, and how fast most drivers naturally travel.

Setting speed limits too low can actually cause safety issues — drivers may ignore the signs, drive at different speeds, and create more conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. Consistent speeds make roads safer for everyone.

Speed bumps might seem like an easy way to slow drivers down, but they can actually create more problems than they solve. Tests have shown that speed bumps don’t work consistently for all types of vehicles — some cars speed up to get a smoother ride, and larger vehicles can lose control.

Speed bumps also slow down emergency response, increase noise, and can encourage risky driving behavior. Courts have even held cities responsible for injuries caused by poorly-designed speed bumps.

While it’s a common request, “Children at Play” signs are not recognized under Minnesota law and are discouraged by national traffic standards. Studies have found that these signs do not reduce accidents or slow down traffic.

In fact, they can give parents and children a false sense of security, suggesting it’s safer to play in the street — when it’s not. Streets are never safe play areas, and signs cannot provide real protection.

Instead, warning signs are used where there are specific risks, like near schools, parks, and playgrounds, where extra caution is truly needed.