Citizens as traffic controllers

By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2001-09-26

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If you ever notice a painted crosswalk that is somewhat crooked, or stop signs that seem less than permanently installed, you may be seeing the work of citizens armed with paintbrushes and shovels. Some residents of Seattle, Washington, USA, have been taking the traffic control laws into their own hands, and adding new control features to streets and intersections they believe need them. According to the story in the Seattle Times , it "costs the city about $300 to replace each sign that is stolen or vandalized, said Tammy Ravert, Seattle Transportation field supervisor. One or more signs are taken or vandalized every day." The city spends half a million dollars annually removing unauthorized controls. Though officials acknowledge that citizens sometimes have legitimate concerns, they insist that proper engineering standards must be applied to controls to ensure consistency, and the safety of drivers and pedestrians.

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