Webster & Forest Intersection — Public Safety and Public Nuisance in Palo Alto, CA

Issue:
Vehicles traveling on Forest Ave (STOP sign) pull out in front of vehicles traveling on Webster Ave (no
STOP sign) resulting in accidents and/or honking by vehicles on Webster to avoid an accident. At times,
the honking by vehicles on Webster is done preemptively as they enter the intersection. This intersection
is not only a public safety hazard (due to accidents and near accidents) but also a public nuisance
(excessive honking).

Proposed Solution(s) to Consider:

a. Install a CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP plaque below the STOP (R1-1) signs
on Forest Ave.
b. Increase distance from corner to NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER signs on the
southern side of Webster Ave to improve visibility (for vehicles on Forest Ave) of
oncoming traffic on Webster Ave.

Discussion of Issue and Proposed Solution:

Section 2C.50 of the 2010 California MUTCD states, “The CROSS TRAFFIC DOES
NOT STOP (W4-4p) plaque (see Figure 2C-8) may be used in combination with a STOP sign when
engineering judgment indicates that conditions are present that are causing or could cause drivers to
misinterpret the intersection as an all-way stop.”

I would offer that these conditions are present due to the following:

a. Only such intersection on Forest Ave between Middlefield and Alma. At all other intersections
where there is a STOP sign on Forest Ave (between Middlefield and Alma) the corresponding cross-
street also has a STOP sign. At intersections for vehicles traveling on Forest Ave, drivers consider
Forest Ave to be the “main street” and when there is a STOP sign they seem to assume that the other
direction has a STOP sign as well, as is the case except for Webster Ave.

b. Incorrect and confusing use of “2-WAY” supplemental plaque. Neither the 2010, 2003, nor 2000
MUTCD documents discuss nor show a “2-WAY” supplemental plaque for use beneath a STOP (R1-1)
sign. The use of this non-standard plaque beneath the STOP signs on Forest Ave is not helpful at all. I
would contend that because its small shape and size is so visually similar to the “4-WAY” (R1-3) and
“ALL WAY” (R1-4) plaques, as drivers approach the intersection they are glancing at this plaque, not
noticing the “2” instead of the “4” and interpreting this as another 4-way stop intersection. Section 2B.
04 of the 2010 California MUTCD states, “At intersections where all approaches are controlled by
STOP signs (see Section 2B.07), a supplemental plaque (R1-3 or R1-4) shall be mounted below each
STOP sign.” The Forest/Webster intersection does not fall into this category and no supplemental R1-3
nor R1-4 plaque should be present.

Why the City of Palo Alto is using these 2-WAY supplemental plaques is very concerning. In fact,
Section 2B.05 of the 2009 MUTCD states, “Supplemental plaques with legends such as 2-WAY, 3-WAY,
4-WAY, or other number of ways shall not be used with STOP signs.”

Rob Babcock • Palo Alto CA 94301! November 24, 2010