Signs

Stop Sign / Yield Sign Policy

General
The City maintains stop and yield signs on city streets. MoDOT maintains signs on all state maintained roads and all streets accessing state maintained roads. The City can not enforce a stop or yield sign unless the sign was installed and maintained by either the City or MoDOT.

Tee Into Residential / Local
The right of way does not usually need to be assigned at a tee intersection of two residential or local streets. It should be obvious that the straight road has the right of way. A yield sign may be installed if there is not a house or trees or something to break up the sight line so a motorist imagines the road continues past the intersection. If the safe approach speed is less than 10 mph the yield sign can be upgraded to a stop sign.

Tee Into Collector and Higher
A stop sign is placed on all streets that tee into a collector or higher classification thoroughfare. A yield sign may be used instead of a stop sign if there is adequate sight distance. (See Sec.14-62 Columbia Code)

4-way Intersections
Typically, a 4-way intersection of two residential or local streets can be controlled by yield signs on both approaches to one of the streets. If there is a sight distance problem on one of the controlled approaches and the safe approach speed is less than 10 mph, the yield signs on both approaches can be changed to stop signs. The street with more traffic should have the right of way. Consideration should be given to the drainage design so the through movement does not have pavement transitions due to drainage.

Collector and Higher
When a street intersects a collector or higher classification thoroughfare street, stop signs are used to control the more minor street. Yield signs may be used instead of stop signs if there is adequate sight distance. As volumes increase, a study can be done to determine if a 4-way stop is warranted. If the major traffic volume makes a dog-leg turn at the intersection, consideration could be made to control both minor approaches with stop signs and one major approach with yield control and one major approach with no control.

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