Revised June 29, 2024
Read time approx. 2 min.
Chances are that you have encountered more than one Shorewood intersection, where the sight lines are drastically restricted.
There are a variety of reasons for this.
- The inconsistent placement of stop signs: some are too far back.
- Other impediments are brush, trees, boulders, retaining walls, fences, illegally placed commercial signs, and tall grasses that obscure visibility.
- Any of these situations can make it necessary for a driver to pull into the intersection to determine oncoming traffic. See a resident’s testimony to the Council on 8.9.21 (start at hr. 41.32)
In most cases, the overgrowth is due to the city not following its own ordinance. The City does not maintain legal sight lines. The end result in lay person terms is: “We can’t see!”
Traffic visibility at intersections is really Safety 101. City ordinance 1201. 03, Subd. 2.h. states:
“On corner lots … no structure or planting in excess of 30 inches above the street center line grade shall be permitted within a triangular area defined as follows: beginning at the intersection of the projected property lines of two intersecting streets, thence 30 feet along one property line, thence diagonally to a point 30 feet from the point of beginning.”
What you can do:
1. If you live on a corner, be sure you have cleared your property’s sight lines to the standards above.
2. If the intersection near you is unimproved and the sight lines are bad, report it to the City at SeeClick Fix.
3. See the complete City Ordinance 1201.03, Subd. 2 h.
4. Educate yourself on roadway design
5. Call City Hall with questions!
