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Edina council approves stop signs in Chowan Park after resident petition
Summary
The Edina City Council voted to install stop‑sign controls at four intersections in the Chowan Park neighborhood after residents petitioned for additional traffic control; council debated engineering recommendations to use yield signs but ultimately adopted the neighborhood proposal.
The Edina City Council voted Sept. 2 to install stop‑sign controls at four intersections in the Chowan Park neighborhood following a petition from residents concerned about visibility and child safety. Council heard staff analysis and neighborhood testimony before adopting the residents' recommendations.
Residents told the council they routinely see children on bikes and near misses at several unmarked intersections, and they asked for consistency with the many nearby marked stops. City engineering staff presented crash history, sight‑line analysis and traffic warrants and recommended a compromise of two‑way stops, one two‑way stop and two yield controls based on MUTCD guidance and measured crash thresholds.
Engineering showed that of the four petitioned intersections only Abbott Avenue and 50 Ninth Street met one MUTCD crash warrant (three crashes within a 12‑month period at that location). Staff also identified sight‑line obstructions at some intersections due to trees and topography and, based on those factors, recommended yield control at two intersections and a two‑way stop at the crash‑warranted intersection. City engineer Andrew Scipione described the analysis to council as “when reviewing the warrants for stop signs and traffic control devices, one of the factors we look at is crash history.”
Council members cited both the staff analysis and residents’ “lived experience.” Council member Marissa Risser said she walked the streets and noted visibility problems, especially on Zenith approaching 50 Seventh Street. Council member Jackson emphasized that crash data are vehicle‑centric while residents’ reports described near misses involving children. Several council members said adding stop signs would slow traffic and align with existing neighborhood signing.
After debate, the council considered an amendment to direct staff to install two‑way stop control at each of the four petitioned intersections and leave the orientation (north/south or east/west) to engineering. That amendment failed by a recorded 3–2 vote. The council then voted to adopt the neighborhood’s requested pattern of signs for the four intersections as presented by residents. The motion to adopt the neighborhood recommendations was made by Member Risser and seconded by Member Pierce and was approved by council.
Council directed staff to implement the adopted signage and to coordinate any needed tree trimming or coordination with county staff where signs are on county right‑of‑way. Engineering noted they will confirm exact orientation and install signs accordingly.
The changes respond directly to repeated resident requests and a formal petition; staff said they process roughly 200–300 traffic control requests per year and perform site visits and warrant analyses for each.
City staff and council members said they would notify the neighborhood when installation is scheduled and continue to monitor the area for compliance and effectiveness.
