The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-09-09
Uniform Traffic Control Aim
of Commissioner Babcock
State Highway Department An
nounces-Rules Governing De-
vices on Trunk Roads

Uniform regulation of traffic on
trunk highways within cities and
villages, as far as compatible with
local conditions, is the aim of set
of regulations just issued by C.. M.
Babcock, state highway commission
er. The circular, which is being
mailed this week to the governing
bodies of all cities and villages
through which trunk highways pass,
calls attention to the supreme court
decision holding that the highway de-
partment has general regulation ov-
er trunk highways, both within ana
without the municipalities, and it is
suggested that local ordinances be
revised to conform to state regula-
tions.
The aim of all regulation, the cir
cular states, should be to allow traf-
fic to flow freely and naturally, and
| by eliminating indecision, make for
better and safer traffic control.
Traffic control devices are held I'M
necessary where the traffic through
an intersection is less than 5000 We
hicles per day. Where there is
heavy traffic for short periods of
time, the device should be manually
controlled instead of automatic.
Mushrooms" "beacons," and 9TH
er warning signals when installed in
streets which enter trunk highways
should be placed in the center of the
throat of the approaching street.
They may be installed on the trunk
highway only under the following
conditions:
No device or light standard may
be installed on a trunk highway where
the paved or surfaced width is less
than SO feet.
No device may be installed in the
center of an intersection where left
tourns are permitted, unless the clear
width between curbs of one of the
Iintersecting roads is so feet or more.
A rigid type of standard will not be
permitted.
No signal or device may be placed
on trunk highway without a permit.
Trunk highways will be designated
as Through highways" where local
police will undertake to enforce it
and where traffic conditions warrant.
The department will furnish, erect
and maintain stop signs on roads so
designated. Such designations, how.
ever, will not be made in isolated
cases, but only through a series OF
cities and villages.
In order to bring about uniform
lily in parking, and to eliminate con.
gestion, the following regulations are
recommended for use on trunk high
ways:
No parking shall be permitted with
in a distance equal to 20 feet, plus
one-half of width of interesting
street.
No parking shall be permitted
which does not leave a clear width
of roadway at least "a feet wide. In
case of divided or one-way streets, at
least IL feet must be kept clear for
traffic in each driveway.
In the case of streets with single
track car lines, where the cars run
against the flow of traffic, ait least IL
feet must be left clear between the
curb and the clearance line of the
street car.
The regulations do not affect
streets marked with trunk highway
signs in cities of the first class, be-
cause under the constitutional amend
ment trunk highways end at the city
limits of such cities.
tSIGN BAN DRAWS ATTENTION
The Minnesota law prohibiting
placing of advertising signs of all
kinds on the right of-way streets and
highways, is attracting attention in
other states. This week the Mime
sofa Highway department received a
letter from a woman in Oklahoma
asking for copy of the law, ito be
used in an attempt to obtain similar
Legislation in that state. She states
that the candidate for governor Of
/ the dominant party has refused tc
permit placing campaign posters on
fences and telephone poles and she