City of Concordia, MO Chapter 335 Stop and Yield Intersections

Section 335.010 Through Streets Designated.

Those streets and parts of streets described by ordinances of the City are declared to be through streets for the purposes of Sections 335.010 to 335.090.

Section 335.020 Signs Required At Through Streets.

Whenever any ordinance of the City designates and describes a through street, it shall be the duty of the City Traffic Engineer to place and maintain a stop sign, or on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation at any intersection a yield sign, on each and every street intersecting such through street unless traffic at any such intersection is controlled at all times by traffic control signals; provided however, that at the intersection of two (2) such through streets or at the intersection of a through street and a heavy traffic street not so designated, stop signs shall be erected at the approaches of either of said streets as may be determined by the City Traffic Engineer upon the basis of an engineering and traffic study.

Section 335.030 Other Intersections Where Stop or Yield Required.

The City Traffic Engineer is hereby authorized to determine and designate intersections where particular hazard exists upon other than through streets and to determine whether vehicles shall stop at one (1) or more entrances to any such intersection in which event he/she shall cause to be erected a stop sign at every such place where a stop is required, or whether vehicles shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles on a different street at such intersection as prescribed in Subsection (A) of Section 335.040, in which event he/she shall cause to be erected a yield sign at every place where obedience thereto is required.

Section 335.040 Stop and Yield Signs.

A. The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign if required for safety to stop shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway.

B. Except when directed to proceed by a Police Officer or traffic control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, in the event there is no crosswalk, shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection.

Section 335.050 Vehicle Entering Stop Intersection.

Except when directed to proceed by a Police Officer or traffic control signal, every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop intersection indicated by a stop sign shall stop as required by Subsection (B) of Section 335.040 and after having stopped shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another highway or which is approaching so closely on said highway as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when such driver is moving across or within the intersection.

Section 335.060 Vehicle Entering Yield Intersection.

The driver of a vehicle approaching a yield sign shall in obedience to such sign slow down to a speed reasonable for the existing conditions and shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time such driver is moving across or within the intersection; provided however, that if such a driver is involved in a collision with a vehicle in the intersection, after driving past a yield sign without stopping, such collision shall be deemed prima facie evidence of his/her failure to yield right-of-way.

Section 335.070 Emerging From Alley, Driveway or Building.

The driver of a vehicle within a business or residence district emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or onto the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway or driveway, and shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian as may be necessary to avoid collision, and upon entering the roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on said roadway.

Section 335.080 Stop When Traffic Obstructed.

No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he/she is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed.

Section 335.090 School Stop Signs.

[CC 1992 §335.100; Ord. No. 13 §21, 9-8-1958]

The operators of motor vehicles in the City shall bring said vehicle to a complete stop at any and all places where "SCHOOL STOP" signs may be placed. The Chief of Police or any person designated by him/her shall, during the months of the year in which school is held, be authorized to place stop signs in the streets for schools.

Section 335.100 Guidelines For The Placement of Stop Signs.

[Ord. No. 633 §§1 — 3, 9-4-2001]

A. Two-Way Stop Sign Applications. Stop signs are not to be used unless engineering judgement indicates that one (1) or more of the following conditions exist:

1. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of normal right-of-way rule would not be expected to provide reasonably safe operation.

2. Street entering a through highway or street.

3. Unsignalized intersection in a signalized area.

4. High speeds, restricted view or crash records indicate a need for control by a stop sign.

	Stop signs will not be used for speed control. STOP signs shall be installed in a manner that minimizes the number of vehicles having to stop. At intersections where a full stop is not necessary at all times, consideration will be given to using a YIELD sign.
	Once the decision has been made to install TWO-WAY STOP control, the decision regarding the appropriate street to stop should be based on engineering judgement. In most cases the street carrying the least traffic should be stopped.
	When both intersection streets have relatively equal volumes or characteristics, the following considerations may be used to determine which street to stop.
	1.	Stopping the direction that conflicts most with existing pedestrian or school crossing patterns.
	2.	Stopping the direction that has obscured vision, dips, or bumps that already require drivers to slow down.
	3.	Stopping the direction that has the longest distance of uninterrupted flow approaching the intersection.
	4.	Stopping the direction that has the best sight distance to conflicting traffic.

B. All-Way Stop Applications. To determine if ALL-WAY STOP signs are required, the following criteria will be considered.

1. Where traffic control signals are justified, the MULTI-WAY STOP will be used as an interim measure to control traffic while arrangements are made for permanent traffic signal installation.

2. An accident problem, as indicated by five (5) or more reported crashes in a twelve (12) month period that are susceptible to correction by a MULTI-WAY STOP installation. Such crashes include right and left turn collisions as well as right-angle collisions.

3. Minimum volumes are exceeded as follows:

a. The vehicular volume entering the intersection from the major street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least three hundred (300) vehicles per hour for any eight (8) hours of an average day, and

b. The combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volume entering the intersection from the minor street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least two hundred (200) units per hour for the same eight (8) hours, with an average delay to minor street traffic of at least thirty (30) seconds per vehicle during the highest hour, but

c. If the eighty-fifth (85th) percentile speed of the major street exceeds forty (40) mph, the vehicular volumes warrants can be reduced to seventy percent (70%) of the aforementioned values.

d. Where no single criteria is satisfied, but where 2, 3a and 3b are all satisfied to eighty percent (80%) of the minimum values.

4. Optional criteria. Other criteria that may be used in an engineering study include:

a. The need to control left turn conflicts.

b. The need to control vehicle/pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volumes.

c. Locations where a road user, after stopping, cannot see conflicting traffic and is not able to safely enter the intersection unless conflicting street traffic is required to stop.

d. An intersection of two residential neighborhood collector streets of similar operating conditions where a MULTI-WAY STOP control would improve the traffic situation at the intersection.

C. Stop Sign Placement. Stop signs are to be located on the right side of the traffic lane to which it applies. When the sign visibility is restricted, a STOP AHEAD sign must be installed in advance of the STOP sign. The STOP sign must be placed as close as practical to the intersection it regulates. Regulatory signs such as STOP signs should be used conservatively because these signs if used to excess tend to lose their effectiveness.