Council postpones decision on stop sign at Dolan and Main NE after engineer raises safety and signage concerns

The Isanti City Council on Jan. 6 postponed consideration of additional stop signage at Dolan and Main Street NE after city staff and the city engineer raised concerns about sight distance, vehicle stacking and unanticipated effects of changing traffic control.

City Engineer Jason Cook told the council his field measurements found a stacking distance of less than 60 feet between intersections—shorter than previously reported—which could allow only about three cars to queue before back-ups across the nearby railroad crossing. Cook cautioned that installing a stop sign without public education or more extensive changes could increase collision risk during the adjustment period because drivers who have long used the intersection without a stop sign may not immediately follow the new control.

Council members discussed alternatives: extending the no-parking zone at the corner by about 15 feet to improve sight lines, removing the rarely used sidewalk and converting that strip to diagonal parking (which the engineer said likely isn't feasible given right-of-way and catch-basin constraints), or inviting the adjacent business owner to the committee meeting. One council member said adding a stop sign would be inexpensive and could be tried, while others warned about unintended safety consequences and plowing complications.

The council voted to postpone the item to the Jan. 21 Committee of the Whole for further study and stakeholder input; the motion passed 4-0.