The Elkhart County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 13 approved a series of traffic regulation amendments proposed by the county highway department, converting multiple two-way stops to four-way stops, changing yield approaches near Roys Avenue to stop conditions, lowering posted speeds on two county road segments and removing obsolete flashing beacons at a pedestrian-crossing location.

The package stems from traffic studies the highway department completed to address intersection safety, vertical-curve sight-distance concerns and pedestrian visibility at a crossing on County Road 45. The changes shift control at several rural intersections and add or modify warning signage to align with safety recommendations.

Tim Jackson, representing the highway department, outlined the proposed stop-regulation amendments and said traffic studies prompted the changes. He asked the board to revise County Road 9 at County Road 36; County Road 28 at County Road 35; County Road 31 at County Road 40; County Road 33 at County Road 34; and the intersection of Greenleaf Boulevard with Homeland and Shore Lane East from two-way stops to four-way stops. Jackson also recommended converting yield conditions on Bontrager, Coolidge, Desmond and Portland avenues at Roys Avenue to stop conditions and adding stop controls for Kestrel Lane at Barrington Drive and Peregrine Drive.

On speed limits, Jackson told commissioners that County Road 33 currently carries a statutory 55 mph limit from about 200 feet south of Ben Pelt Drive to U.S. 33; the study recommended lowering that signed speed to 50 mph. He also recommended reducing County Road 126 from an unposted statutory 55 mph to 40 mph for roughly a one-mile segment between State Road 15 and County Road 27, citing three substandard vertical curves and adding additional warning signage.

The board also approved changes at the County Road 45/County Road 15 intersection (including the Oxbow entrance). Jackson said flashing beacons had not operated for some time and recommended removing the flashing beacons and certain nonvehicular warning signs to comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). He recommended adding “ahead” placards on approaches and repainting crosswalks, lane arrows and pedestrian crossing lettering to improve visibility.

During public comment, a resident who identified himself as Glenn of Goshen urged consistent posting of speed limits and advised against reducing limits for short curve segments without consistent signage. Glenn said lower posted limits can create confusion when they vary frequently along a corridor and recommended clearer, consistent signage.

Commissioners approved the highway department’s package unanimously. The ordinance amendments and signage changes will be implemented by the highway department and will take effect after the county’s administrative posting and any required statutory steps.

Ending: The approved changes combine speed reductions, new stop controls and improved pedestrian signage; implementation details and any additional warning signs will be carried out by the highway department.