Franklin Board denies stop-sign request after traffic study finds speeds within norms

The Franklin City Board of Public Works and Safety on July 7, 2025, voted to deny a request to install a stop sign at the T-intersection of Sunset Ridge Drive and Kensington Boulevard in the Kingsbridge neighborhood.

Planning Director Joanna Tennell presented the resident’s formal request and a packet of departmental analyses. Tennell said the request was evaluated under the federal and Indiana manuals on uniform traffic control devices, which advise that stop signs are not to be used for speed control. She told the board that planning and engineering recommended the sign not be installed, and that the fire department did not observe conditions that would warrant a stop sign.

Police Chief Cochran described the speed data gathered by traffic analyzers and directed patrols. Cochran said a five-day analyzer run showed a top recorded speed of 38 mph, that almost 98% of vehicles were under 35 mph and that more than half were under the posted 25 mph limit. He also said three weeks of directed patrols, including times when school buses were present, did not corroborate the complainant’s claim of widespread high-speed traffic. Chief Cochran told the board, “The data doesn't lie.”

Board members asked about videos and anecdotal reports. Joanna Tennell said the city received video from the resident and forwarded it to engineering and police for review but noted that accurate speed measurement requires two fixed points. The board also reported no recorded crashes at the location.

After discussion, a motion to deny the stop-sign installation was made, seconded and approved. The board directed staff to document the record thoroughly for the resident’s attorney and to continue enforcement and data collection as needed.

The action is an administrative placement decision by the Board of Public Works and Safety; no change to posted speed limits or other physical traffic-calming measures was ordered.