MAGNOLIA SPRINGS - After a meeting between three town representatives and engineer Scott Cothron with Skipper Consulting, the Magnolia Springs council has decided against installing a three-way stop at the intersection of Oak Street and Magnolia Springs Highway.

Skipper Consulting performed traffic studies within town limits last year. The results yielded from the study do not warrant a three-way at the intersection. Cothron told town representatives he fears adding stop signs may cause new issues instead of solving them.

“Stop signs may often seem like a good solution to neighborhood speeding, but traffic studies and experience have shown that stop signs to control speeding don’t necessarily work,” he said in a follow-up message to Mayor Kim Koniar. “When stop signs are installed to slow down speeders, drivers may actually increase their speed between signs to compensate for the time they lost by stopping. Some drivers tend to accelerate rapidly after a stop, possibly creating an even more dangerous situation. In fact, most drivers reach their top speed within 100 feet of a stop sign.”

In the message, Cothron cited traffic studies have shown too many stop signs may cause motorists to ignore right of way rules, and some drivers may ignore the stop signs entirely. He said stop signs in a community may also cause higher levels of pollution and noise.

Mayor Pro Tem Nick Shields, who initially brought up the traffic issue last month in response to a pedestrian being struck in the intersection’s crosswalk, has voiced his concern over traffic related issues since joining the council.

“I really for the past five years have been concerned about the safety of people going back and forth from the arboretum to the church or Community Hall or Jesse’s,” he said.

While Cothron said studies pointed against the three-way, he suggested other options to help deter speeding through town. These deterrents include another speed radar sign, crosswalk signs with flashing lights for when a pedestrian is crossing the street, and possibly a raised intersection or raised speed hump. Additionally, Koniar said the goal is to see bridge repairs beginning at the end of May, weather permitting, which will narrow the lanes to help slow traffic. Along with the bridge repairs, additional crosswalk signs will be put up.

“In a couple of weeks we’re going to get the speed hump installed south of Village Green, so drivers are going to be slowed down,” Koniar said. “I personally think we need to take into account what Scott said. We need to make sure everything is properly marked, we need to install a couple of crossing signs [with buttons to press that will flash when pedestrians are crossing], and then we go from there.”

For more information, visit www.townofmagnoliasprings.org.