Traffic commission tables request for all-way stop at West Lemon & North Mary for broader study

Residents and business owners told the Traffic Commission they see frequent close calls at West Lemon Street and North Mary Street; the commission agreed to conduct a broader study of Lemon Street and deferred a final decision until January.

Pamela Dintaman’s request for an all-way stop drew multiple public speakers who described pedestrian congestion near new and existing businesses. "There's a ton of kids... it's a really busy intersection," said Steve Farina, a resident, describing near misses and the presence of children near an ice-cream shop and other businesses. Several business owners and neighbors urged action to reduce risk for pedestrians.

Staff observations: Ben Hogan, Public Works Engineer, said staff spent multiple hours collecting counts and watching the intersection. He reported the intersection did not meet the standard crash warrants for 12- or 36-month windows (two crashes in 12 months; four in 36 months, both below MUTCD warrant thresholds), but recorded high pedestrian volumes during the counts: "It ranged from about 60 to 80 pedestrians per hour" during sampling, which makes the intersection a candidate for additional measures.

Commission decision: Commissioners debated whether a stop sign would set a precedent on Lemon Street, where few stop controls exist, and discussed temporary measures such as a blinking red beacon above a new stop sign or 'look both ways' signage. Instead of approving an all-way stop, the commission amended the motion and voted to table item 40-2025 to allow staff to study intersection control along Lemon Street and return recommendations for the January meeting.

Next steps: Staff said it could complete the intersection-control study and return with findings and recommendations by the January meeting; in the interim, the commission asked staff to explore interim signage and other low-cost measures.