Four intersections along a stretch of road in northwest Santa Maria will be getting stop signs to slow traffic and also to clarify which drivers have the right-of-way.

In addition, two other stop signs will be added near Marian Medical Center to help pedestrians cross the street to reach the hospital.

Both actions were the result of residents alerting the city to potentially unsafe traffic areas, sparking action by the City Council.

Richard Novoa approached city staff members about problems he saw at the intersection of Rosewood Drive and Russell Avenue, said David Beas, senior civil engineer. The intersection had no stop signs or any other traffic controls.

But when the issue was taken to the city committee charged with addressing traffic problems, the group opted to take a larger look.

“Typically, (the committee) addresses a single complaint,” Beas said. “However, ... the direction we want to go is not just address a single (issue), but to look at the big picture, especially in neighborhood traffic.”

As a result of this neighborhood outlook, the seven-member traffic committee recommended that two-way stops be created along Russell Avenue at the intersections of Tunnell Drive, Hermosa Drive and Rosewood Drive.

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The council agreed, and approved the new stop signs Tuesday.

A fourth intersection, at Russell Avenue and El Camino Street, was recommended to receive a four-way stop since it is where two collector roads meet, Beas said.

On average, an estimated 4,000 vehicles a day use Russell Avenue.

Two other streets near Marian Medical Center, which intersect with Stratford Avenue, were also approved for stop signs Tuesday.

Roger Bunch, special projects coordinator at Marian Medical Center, has been working with the city for about three years to address safety concerns along Stratford near the intersections of Church and Cypress streets.

As construction gets underway for the hospital's expansion, more and more offices are being moved to the other side of Stratford, which means more employees and more patients will be crossing the street, Bunch said.

Drivers will soon be forced to stop at Cypress before entering Stratford, and drivers on Stratford will soon have to stop before following the curve onto Church Street.

When Bunch started discussions with the city, he was looking for flashing midblock crosswalks, similar to those on South College Drive and East Cook Street.

However, the traffic committee determined that stop signs at the two locations would be the best and most cost-effective solution, Beas said.

“A crosswalk would be good, but midblock is not ideal,” he said.

In addition to stopping traffic near Marian, the city is expected to install signs to remind drivers that there are pedestrians in the area.

All the new signs should be placed within the next 30 days. Along Russell each intersection is expected to cost about $1,200, and each sign along Stratford is expected to cost $750.

Malia Spencer can be reached at 739-2219 or mspencer@santamariatimes.com.

October 6, 2007