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Resident urges action on blinking stop lights at Fourth and A; council routes issue to Public Works
Summary
Resident Caitlyn Castile told council she has observed frequent red-light/stop-sign violations at Fourth Street and A Avenue and urged low-cost remedies such as cameras, barrel signs or moving signal heads; council agreed to examine options, consider reverting signals to a cycle, and referred the item to Public Works for follow-up.
A Vinton resident told the City Council that motorists frequently disregard the stop at Fourth Street and A Avenue and urged the city to consider low-cost countermeasures.
"People are just disregarding the stop on Fourth Street and A Avenue," resident Caitlyn Castile said during public comment, saying the signal is difficult to see at certain times of day and suggesting temporary measures such as a conspicuous barrel stop sign, a camera to document violations or repositioning the signal closer to the corner.
Council members and staff discussed short-term and longer-term options, including moving signal heads closer to the intersection, installing an overhead signal, reverting the lights to a fixed cycle during business hours, and short-term enforcement. The police chief and public works staff were asked to evaluate visibility and technical feasibility. Council directed the item to the Public Works committee to develop a recommended solution and asked staff to post a notice on social media about any signal changes to reduce confusion.
Why it matters: The intersection was described as a recurring safety concern by residents. The council’s referral to Public Works initiates an engineering and enforcement review that could change how the intersection is controlled and improve pedestrian and motorist safety.
Representative quote: "I'm willing to get a petition going or set up my own camera, but I don't know how much of that is my responsibility," Castile said. "I'm willing to help a bit… but I was hoping to start a dialogue and see maybe what you guys have in mind."
Next steps: Public Works will evaluate signal visibility and installation options, consider short-term enforcement or signage changes and report back to council with cost and feasibility recommendations.
