Committee directs temporary stop sign at Michelle Lane after Landmark Drive safety concerns

On June 11, 2025, the Cottage Grove Public Works Properties and Sustainability Committee directed staff to install a temporary stop sign at the unmarked intersection of Landmark Drive and Michelle Lane and to post a southbound “No through truck traffic” sign after residents described children playing near the street and frequent cut‑through traffic.

Committee members and staff said the move is intended as a short trial while additional data are collected about traffic volumes and patterns. The committee asked staff to install a physical stop sign (on a post with warning flags) at Michelle and Landmark and to return counts and community feedback after the trial period.

Residents spoke during public appearances, pressing for immediate measures. “I would like to call for some somewhat immediate action, even if it's temporary signage,” resident Steve Girdanes said, asking for restrictions such as “no through trucks.” Neighbor Spencer Jones described the road’s blind S‑curve and dim lighting, saying it attracts both parked cars and drivers unfamiliar with the neighborhood: “The curve is substantial … people will be taking that curve at speed.”

Staff presented results from a two‑week traffic counter on Landmark Drive. The device recorded an average daily vehicle count of about 670 vehicles. The 80th‑percentile speed — the speed at or below which 80% of drivers travel and which engineers commonly use for setting limits — was 21 miles per hour; the average speed was about 18 miles per hour. Staff said commercial vehicles represented roughly 3% or less of observed traffic. The committee also heard that traffic counts spike on holiday weekends and that a recent crash at the intersection had prompted multiple resident complaints and a petition of 557 signatures to the village board.

Engineering staff reviewed standard stop‑sign warrants used in traffic engineering. “There’s five warrants,” staff member Josh said, noting the criteria include crash history, sight distance, peak‑hour vehicle volumes (one warrant commonly referenced is 300 vehicles in a peak hour), and pedestrian use. He cautioned that if a stop sign is installed where volumes are low, drivers may simply “roll through” it and enforcement then becomes difficult. Police Chief commented that enforcement addresses violations but cannot reliably change long‑term driver behavior without physical or regulatory change: “If people feel that the sign isn't appropriate, they're gonna roll through it.”

Several members argued a single stop sign might not shift traffic patterns enough and preferred a series of temporary stops to encourage rerouting away from Landmark Drive to the commercial corridor. Committee member Nick, who said he lives on Landmark and would abstain from any formal vote because of that conflict, proposed installing three temporary full stop signs at Limestone & Landmark, Michelle & Landmark, and School Road & Landmark and re‑measuring counts. Others favored starting with one stop sign — at Michelle & Landmark — and adding more only if the data and resident feedback showed no improvement. The committee ultimately gave staff direction to start with one temporary stop sign at Michelle & Landmark and to post the southbound “No through truck traffic” sign; staff said they would notify the committee when signs are posted.

Staff and the committee listed follow‑up steps: 1) install the temporary stop sign (mounted, with flags) at Michelle & Landmark and post the southbound no‑truck sign; 2) collect additional counts north and south of the S‑curve to evaluate speed and volume before and during the trial; 3) evaluate lighting at the intersection after resident reports of dim conditions; and 4) report back to the committee with measured results and community feedback at a later meeting. Chief said temporary signage often yields short‑term compliance that may decline unless signs are made permanent or other physical measures are added.

The committee emphasized that the direction was a policy decision reached during discussion rather than a formal vote; staff recorded the direction and will monitor results and resident response.