New stop signs on College Avenue to the north and south of the Jefferson Street intersection were recently installed, making a four-way stop for all traffic.
According to one resident though, the stop signs are being ignored as College Avenue motorists are not aware the intersection is now a four-way stop.
Chris Waldron, who lives at the College Avenue/Jefferson Street intersection, many vehicles on College Road are blowing right through the new stop signs, something he attributes to drivers being unaware they have been erected.
“There are now stop signs both ways on College Avenue and it’s a four way stop now, but people are running it at a 50% rate. They didn’t install any flashing lights on the signs,” Waldrep said.
After several residents contacted Russellville District Two City Councilman Darren Woodruff with concerns about vehicles speeding on College Avenue, Woodruff called Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett and police patrols were increased in the area.
Several months later, though, the stop signs were erected on College as residents still shared concerns about speeding.
“I decided it would be safer to go ahead and install a four way stop at College Avenue at Jefferson,” Woodruff said.
The new stop signs were erected by the Russellville Street Department and remained covered for three weeks for local drivers to get used to having to stop all ways at the intersection.
Woodruff said the signs were covered to draw attention to them as being something new on College Avenue.
“There is normally a short time needed for everyone to get used to having a new stop sign in an area they live or work in,” Woodruff said.
According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, stop sign violations account for approximately 70% of all crashes, with police responding to more than 700,000 motor vehicle crashes each year.
