The Minnesota Department of Transportation is moving stop bar pavement markings at numerous highway intersections throughout Southwest Minnesota District 8, which includes Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville and Yellow Medicine counties.
Stop bars are 24 inch-wide, solid white lines that extend across all lanes in one direction to indicate where to stop. They provide drivers with an additional visual reminder to stop before entering or crossing traffic at an intersection.
The project begins the week of July 19 and will be completed the week of July 26, weather dependent. The original stop bars will be removed the first week, and the new stop bars will be installed the following week, closer to the intersection. Moving the stop bars will provide drivers with better sight lines and shorter crossing or merging distances and times. Red reflective strips will also be installed on some stop sign posts to make them more noticeable.
Benefits of the project include enhanced safety. The project cost is $74,000, and NTTK, Inc., is the contractor.
Drivers may encounter flagging operations and short delays during each installation. MnDOT urges travelers to always drive with caution and reminds them to slow down in project areas for their safety and the safety of workers.
