Stop, look and read? County may put street signs on top of stop signs
Stop signs may be more useful than just a spot to stop.
Enhanced 911 signs in Crow Wing County may be placed on top of the signs to save money for residents.
Duane Blanck, county engineer, told the Crow Wing County Board Tuesday that signing needs to be determined on how the highway staff will construct the signs. Placing the E-911 signs on stop signs would hold down the costs.
In 1997, the board established an addressing system for E-911 signs to help emergency vehicles find locations more quickly. The signs would have four-inch letters or numbers on a six-inch plate, so people will easily see the road sign. The sign could be placed on top of a stop sign or if there is no stop sign it would be a sign by itself.
"If a driver is in a 55 miles per hour zone, in reality they are going 75 and they would have no time to see the signs," Commissioner James Hill said.
Blanck said if a person is looking for a certain road, such as an ambulance driver, they will slow down to find the street.
The county approved an E-911 sign agreement and townships may have to pay for street signs that would cost between $114,000 to $200,000. Eventually money will be reimbursed to the townships. Commissioners noted the townships can levy in March and get funding in July 2001.
There are 2,500 intersections in the county to install street signs at about $60 at each intersection. The signs will be placed back to back to save additional money.