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Wheaton will keep all-way stop at Washington and Harrison; staff to study roundabout feasibility
Summary
After reviewing six safety options for the Washington Street and Harrison Avenue intersection (including a roundabout and pedestrian bump-outs), the council directed staff to maintain the current all-way stop and continue collecting crash and traffic data while studying the cost and feasibility of a roundabout.
Traffic staff told the Wheaton City Council on April 13 that the Washington Street and Harrison Avenue four-way intersection has recorded sixteen crashes since 2022 and that resident concerns prompted an Engineering Department analysis with consultant HLR.
Traffic Engineer Farin Azim reviewed six options developed by HLR: sight-distance enhancement; LED signage to draw attention to the stop sign; pavement markings (installed in summer 2024 with no notable speed reduction); all-way stop control (currently in place since winter 2026); pedestrian bump-outs; and a roundabout. Azim said a roundabout could reduce conflict points and likely fits within the intersection with only minor accommodations but would be the most expensive option.
Director of Engineering Joseph Tebrugge told the council Crash Mitigation Factor (CMF) values vary widely for all-way stops but show less variation for traffic circles, and he cited the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices' installation requirements for stop signs. Staff noted pavement-marking options would require intersection widening for a flush median, and that marked-crosswalk installation would need a future policy study.
After discussion about costs and effectiveness, councilmembers directed staff to retain the all-way stop and continue collecting data at the intersection while staff performs further feasibility and cost analysis of a roundabout.
