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After fatal crash, DOT to enlarge stop signs at County Road 129/County E; county to study rumble strips and visibility
Summary
The county discussed safety measures at a rural intersection that recently saw a fatal crash. The state DOT plans larger stop signs and additional signage; the county will consider rumble strips, vision triangles and outreach to landowners.
Dunn County highway staff presented options for improving safety at the intersection of County Road 129 and County Road E after a recent fatal crash and other incidents. The state DOT reviewed the five‑year crash history and does not show a warrant for higher measures, staff said, but the DOT will enlarge the stop sign and add an additional sign on the other side of the approach.
"They are currently going to put a larger stop sign in," Austin (staff member) said. He said the DOT plans to install a 36‑inch sign in place of the standard 30‑inch unit and put signs on both sides of the approaching county road. The DOT did not find sufficient crash history to warrant flashing beacons or a red flashing light, staff said.
The committee discussed county-level measures the DOT does not provide. Staff said options include rumble strips on the county approach, removal of sight‑obscuring vegetation within established vision triangles, and public outreach to nearby landowners to avoid planting in required sight lines. Staff warned rumble strips can produce noise that may draw residential complaints.
Nut graf: With state officials unwilling to install more aggressive countermeasures at this time, the county said it would pursue lower-cost, local remedies and study grant options. Staff suggested rumble strips and vegetation control as potential near‑term actions, noting grant applications for highway safety improvements are possible but take time.
Board members said they want the county to investigate rumble strips and outreach to landowners and to collect cost estimates and public feedback. One member noted that signage and flags can lose effectiveness for locals who travel the road every day; the county will seek solutions targeted at unfamiliar drivers and night visibility.
Ending: Staff will gather cost estimates for rumble strips, draft outreach for landowners about vision triangles, and investigate highway safety grant eligibility; the DOT will proceed with larger stop signs and additional signs on the approach.
