Winneshiek supervisors weigh short‑term stop sign against removing hill at sight‑distance problem

Winneshiek County supervisors debated whether to install a four‑way stop or remove a nearby hill to fix poor sight distance at a rural intersection, with staff urging a formal resolution before a stop sign could be installed.

Speaker 2, the county road representative, said the choice is between converting a two‑way stop to a four‑way stop or removing the hill to restore sight lines. He estimated roughly "40 vehicles per day" east‑west and "about 60" north‑south at the intersection but said precise counts were not on hand. He described hill removal as a longer‑term solution that would allow the intersection to be uncontrolled later if warranted.

Speaker 5, reporting constituent contacts, said "all the calls I've had is they would prefer [a] stop sign," noting concerns about school buses cresting the hill and struggling to get through while stopped. Speaker 2 responded that installing a stop sign requires a board resolution and that the county must demonstrate site stopping sight‑distance justification and prioritize limited funds before acting.

Board members discussed tradeoffs: a four‑way stop would be cheaper and faster, while cutting the hill could create steeper farm driveways and raise soil/bedrock uncertainties. Speaker 4 asked whether cutting the hill could hit solid rock; Speaker 2 said soil depth was unknown and the county lacked immediate subsurface data.

Rather than decide immediately, supervisors agreed to place a resolution and supporting documentation on next week's agenda so the board could vote formally after reviewing site‑distance justification and cost estimates.

Next steps: staff will prepare the stop‑sign resolution and supporting sight‑distance information for the board's agenda next week.