Spaniard’s Bay to test three-way stops to see if it will ease speeding

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Spaniard’s Bay council discussed a potential method last week to cut down on speeding in the town. 

The Town has placed speed bumps in some areas, but it has not cut down on the problem enough. An alternative method that was proposed at Tuesday’s council meeting was the implementation of three-way stops.

Implementing four-way and three-way stops has been tried in some neighbouring communities. Bay Roberts, for example, added several stops to intersections that have been plagued by speeding. Those areas were typically at intersections after long stretches of road, so adding a stop forced people to slow down. The success of the policy so far has Bay Roberts council looking at adding more such stops.

Spaniard’s Bay councillor Darlene Stamp suggested that her town could start by picking one place to try out the method to see how well it works. If it seems successful, they can discuss adding more intersections plagued by speeding. 

Councillor Paul Ryan questioned how they would be able to monitor the stops effects, but Stamp and some fellow council members explained the residents themselves would monitor it for them. If speeding issues persist or drastically improve, residents will likely reach out to let council know.

Some council members suggested spots at which the test stop might be established, but ultimately decided to have a separate meeting to discuss the issue and choose where to put their first speed-deterring intersection signs.