Using All-Way Stop Control for Residential Traffic Management

All-way or multiway stop signs are perhaps the most controversial form of residential traffic control. Because stop signs are thought of as a panacea for many traffic problems, residents are likely to request all-way stop signs more frequently than any other form of control. The Virginia Department of Transportation receives requests to install all-way stop control (AWSC) on residential streets primarily to slow traffic and to reduce cut-through traffic volumes. The effectiveness of AWSC as a residential traffic management technique is evaluated. A comprehensive review of the literature and a questionnaire survey of selected traffic engineering agencies revealed how AWSC is used in Virginia and elsewhere. Most traffic engineering agencies use AWSC warrants from FHWA’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Some agencies modify the MUTCD warrants or use a rating system because the MUTCD warrants appear to be in appropriate for residential streets with lower traffic volumes. Three case studies using a series of AWSC intersections to reduce cut-through traffic on residential streets were conducted and analyzed. In these studies, AWSC when installed at a series of residential intersections effectively reduced cut-through volumes.