Motorists enjoying the scenery along Indian River Drive will have a few more moments to savor the view at Walton Road by spring.
St. Lucie County plans to install stop signs and warning lights at the busy intersection in early 2020 in an effort to reduce speeding on the winding north-south thoroughfare.
County commissioners decided Dec. 17 to install stop signs on Indian River Drive at Walton Road and directed Public Works Director Don West to report back in a year on their effectiveness.
It will cost $14,228 to install the flashing lights and a nominal amount to set up the signs, county records show.
It’s the second time in a year St. Lucie County is undertaking a major traffic control measure on Indian River Drive.
Last January the county painted double yellow stripes down the center of the road to discourage high-speed passing and enable sheriff’s deputies to issue moving violations for illegal passing.
The Indian River Drive Freeholders Association consented to the stop signs at Walton Road as a “pilot program” during a meeting on Nov. 14, county records show.
If stop signs slow down traffic without causing accidents, stop signs could also be installed on Indian River Drive at Midway Road.
A county traffic study in April 2019 found 85 percent of vehicles on Indian River Drive travel at 44 mph although the speed limit is 35 mph.
An average of more than 1,000 vehicles per hour traveled through the intersection during busy times of the day, county records show. That includes an average of 764 on Indian River Drive and 317 on Walton Road.
Commissioners rejected more costly traffic control measures, such as traffic circles, speed tables, raised intersection and raised pavement markings.
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