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Dunn County installs inexpensive ‘spin alert’ devices at two intersections as pilot safety measure
Summary
Highway staff installed low-cost rotating devices at two problem intersections and described them as a low-cost test that may reduce crashes; device durability and state recognition are limited.
Dunn County Highway staff reported on April 9 that crews installed small rotating “spin alert” devices at two intersections to improve nighttime and windy-condition visibility.
Highway staff said the devices were installed at the County Road E and H intersection and the County Road C and H intersection and described them as the first such installations in Dunn County. A staff member told the committee the device “literally looks like a strobe light” in certain conditions and that the units cost about $60 each; staff called them a valid safety device and said if one crash is prevented the devices would be worthwhile.
Staff warned that the devices are not recognized by the state for installation on DOT signs, and that longevity is uncertain — “they might last a year, they might last two months,” a staff member said — because the devices rely on a simple bearing turned by wind rather than electronics or batteries. County staff said they started with these known problem intersections rather than proposing countywide use; one local resident who lives near a pilot location called the devices a positive change.
Why it matters: the county identified the two intersections as problem areas with a history of injuries or crashes. Staff said the devices create conspicuous motion that can attract driver attention at night or in windy conditions and that the low per-unit cost makes a small pilot feasible.
No county-wide policy change was made; staff said they would monitor performance and public feedback before recommending broader deployment.
