Illinois, 13th not a four-way stop

Traffic lights are being replaced at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and 13th Street.

“There was an accident where a truck ran over the traffic light pole, and destroyed it and put a dent in it,” Hank Radtke, Sidney streets superintendent, said. “The state came in and checked it, and if we had a four mile an hour wind the pole would come down.”

The pole has been removed, Radtke said, and another has been ordered, to be installed by Sidney Electrical Department. It should arrive in two to three weeks.

In the meantime, stop signs have been placed for north- and southbound traffic on 13th Avenue and yellow caution lights are flashing for east- and westbound traffic on Illinois Street.

It is not a four-way stop.

“Going onto Illinois, straight through 13th itself, you have to stop there at the stop signs,” Radtke said. “The other two directions are flashing yellow lights, that means to proceed with caution.”

Drivers on Illinois Street are allowed to exercise courtesy, Radtke said.

“A lot of them are courteous enough,” he said. “They’ll stop, and if there’s a long line they’ll let some of the other traffic go by, but they’re not obligated to. Flashing yellow means caution, and there’s a reason for it.”

Traffic at the intersection has been manageable so far, Radtke said.

“I’ve seen people being courteous. The drivers, when they see a line-up they do stop and everybody stops to let the traffic off 13th a little bit, then proceed,” he said. “What I’ve seen is cooperation.”

He added, “With school traffic coming up, that is going to be hectic and we may have to have a police officer help direct traffic.”

Other situations have required the city to manage traffic.

“We’ve had to make four-way stops before when we have lost power to the traffic signals or we had to stick up lights,” he said. “But this time it is not a four-way stop.”