Ephrata discusses stop sign

Resident requests relief from speeders

EPHRATA - The Ephrata City Council examined the issue of placing a stop sign at the corner of First Street Southeast Wednesday night.

The concern was raised after Stormie Baltz, a resident living on the street, wrote a letter to the city. She said people drive too fast, almost hitting residents.

City Administrator Wes Crago said traffic-sign placement is mandated by the state and while drivers may speed down the road or not slow down at the intersection that doesn't mean a stop sign would solve the problem.

"We have to look at what's approved by law ad what will make the area safer," he said. "There's a possibility that a stop sign would make it less safe."

He said because drivers wouldn't expect a stop sign at the intersection, they wouldn't necessarily stop at the corner and children crossing the street would expect the traffic to stop, which may increase the danger at that intersection.

"We looked at what the actual risks are. There have been five accidents in the past eight-and-a-half years," he said. "One ice-related accident where the car lost control and one caused by a failure to yield. In the same time period there has been 9,384 accidents (in the city)."

Baltz said there was a lot more happening on the road than what the statistics indicated.

"Do they live two-and-a-half blocks from a school?" she asked. "Do they see children have to make sure they look both ways twice before they cross the street? I see three to five cars fly through that intersection … not paying attention."

While the code doesn't allow for a stop sign at that intersection, Crago said the city could consider other options.

Council member Ben Davis said he can relate and he doesn't use First Street Southeast because of the traffic.

"I don't think stop signs are the answer to the problem," Davis said. "There are other things that we can do."

Council member Kathleen Allstot asked whether it was possible to use a mobile sign which tracks how fast cars are going down the road.

Police Chief Joe Varick said he'd made improvements to the scheduling so more police would be patrolling when school let out.

Baltz said she wanted the city to do something about the issue, whether it was a yield sign or increased police presence.

Mayor Chris Jacobsen said the city administrators would look into the problem.

"I tried to get them to put a stop sign on my street and they didn't put one there, and I'm the mayor," he said.