More traffic signs going up in Newton

In the continued effort to address uncontrolled intersections in Newton, 15 new intersections in northeast Newton will have traffic signs. The Traffic Safety Committee recommended and city council expedited the process by waiving the third reading and adopting the ordinance change.

The section under review included an area bound on the west by First Street North, on the east and north by city limits and on the south by First Avenue East.

Following a citizen request for a four-way stop near East Fourth Street North and North Fourth Avenue East, the committee started to look at the area. Both streets are considered collector streets and currently there are two-way stops where eastbound and westbound traffic stop.

“Staff obtained traffic counts for the East Fourth Street North intersections from First Avenue East to North Fourth Avenue East,” interim city administrator Jarrod Wellik said. “The traffic counts reveal that 2,850 to 4,230 vehicles per daily travel on East Fourth Street North. The east-west traffic ranges from 760 vehicles per day on South Second Avenue East to 2,500 vehicles per day on North Fourth Avenue East.”

The four-way stop in place at North Third Avenue East was the result of the avenue being a busier street used by employees working at the former Maytag Corporation. Current traffic counts showed approximately 2,500 vehicles per day on North Fourth Avenue East compared to 1,780 vehicles per day on North Third Avenue East.

Following the review, the committee recommended and council approved the intersection at North Fourth Avenue East and East Fourth Street North change to a four-way stop while North Third Avenue East and East Fourth Street North go to a two-way stop where eastbound and westbound traffic stop. The committee found the traffic will flow better on the collector streets where stop conditions are spaced several blocks apart.

Additional traffic sign locations include:

• Replacing yield signs with stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on East Fifth Street North at North Second Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for southbound traffic on East Sixth Street North at North Fourth Avenue East.

• Adding stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on East Sixth Street North at North Ninth Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for northbound traffic on East Sixth Street North at North 11th Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for northbound traffic on East Seventh Street North at North 11th Avenue East.

• Adding stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on East Ninth Street North at North Ninth Avenue East.

• Adding stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on East Ninth Street North at North 10th Avenue East.

• Adding stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on East 10th Street North at North Ninth Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for northbound and southbound traffic on East 10th Street North at North 10th Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for southbound traffic on East Fifth Street North at North Sixth Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for southbound traffic on East Seventh Street Place North at North Second Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for traffic on East Seventh Street Place North at East 18th Street North.

• Adding a stop sign for southbound traffic on East First Street North at North Second Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for southbound traffic on East Fourth Street North at North Second Avenue East.

• Adding a stop sign for northbound traffic on East Fifth Street North at North Sixth Avenue East.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com