Remedy on Mildred Lane Misses Real Cause of Problem

The City posted a note yesterday about a new stop sign with flashing lights around its rim on Mildred Lane at south Liberty Road.

A new flashing stop sign on Mildred Lane at Liberty
via FB

The intersection has had its problems. About the new sign the City says:

New stop signs are in place at Liberty Rd S and Mildred Ln S. The new 30-inch edge-lit solar-powered stop signs will flash 8 bright LED lights continuously to warn drivers on Mildred Ln to stop and look both ways for oncoming traffic on Liberty Rd S.

The LED flashing system is designed to draw attention to the intersection and reduce running through the intersection.

Remember to drive carefully and obey all traffic signals, especially during times of extreme weather and low visibility.

August 2022

Speed is the real problem, however. Though a recent lawsuit about a death at this site focused on signage and messaging, a more fundamental problem is the road design itself.

Signs are not enough

At a safe speed, stopping is not a problem. But the City has overbuilt the road as a minor arterial with three auto travel lanes in addition to the bike lane, and posted it for 35mph. The width of the road induces faster speeds, and in fact is designed to forgive them - until a driver reaches the stop sign or hits someone or something.

Seattle Times earlier this month on Vision Zero

The City needs to install traffic calming and to accept and in fact to design for slower speed on nearly all roads in the urban environment. (We'll be returning to this Seattle Times clip as there is more talk about development on our own Vision Zero plan.)

Previously on Mildred Lane:

• Most recently, "City Response on Mildred Lane focuses on Signal, not enough on Speed" (2022)
• On a death at this very intersection, where the main problem was the young driver was going 60mph in a 35mph zone, and not reduced visibility of a stop sign at 35mph, "Catastrophe on Mildred Lane Shows Problem with Road Design" (2021)
  
• With comment on hill-hopping, "Fences and Streets: How we Configure Park Edges" (2013)
  
• It has always been clear Mildred Lane was overbuilt, "Lone Oak Park and Mildred Lane: Travel and Play at the Urban Growth Boundary" (2010)