Letter to the editor: Use different signage to control awkward intersection

News organizations have found it important enough to publish stories about the intersection on Valley Creek Road and Cottage Grove Drive. Leaving the stop signs up is now apparently for the sole purpose of “slowing down” the traffic. I’ve always thought that we used speed limit signs to slow down traffic, not stop signs.

The question needs to be asked, “If there were no stop signs here today, would we install them?” I don’t think so, as I know of no other stop signs where there is no intersection.

Should I be asking the city of Woodbury to put up stop signs on Lake Road where there are no intersections just to slow down the traffic to make it easier for me to exit Copper Oaks? I think not, it would be silly. I’m not suggesting that anything be done to make it more convenient for me. 

Three factors are involved here: increased traffic, the current speed limit, and possibly what are called “hidden driveways.” Other than stop signs in the middle of nowhere, if it’s determined that something should be done to make it safer, I have two suggestions: 1) Post “hidden driveway” signs and/or 2) Lower the speed limit.  If the argument is made that people don’t honor the speed limit, the same could be said for stop signs.

Dispense with the idea of an expensive “study” or even worse and much more expensive, what might come out such a study, such as “shaving down the hill” as was mentioned as a possibility.

Vern Drake - Woodbury

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, updates