The full picture · 2 sources
Bismarck tests a four way stop in place of the traffic signal at 5th Street and Front Avenue
Updated Nov 3, 2:08 AM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.
What the primary sources show
- The city will test a four way stop instead of the traffic signal at 5th Street and Front Avenue, starting Tuesday, October 27, 2026, for several months. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- City Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer said the signal, first installed in 1978, has run well past the typical 30 to 40 year lifespan for such equipment. [Bismarck Source]
- Holzer said current traffic volume does not meet federal criteria for a signal, and a city study found a four way stop would shorten lines and reduce wait times. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- Road construction planned for 2027 on parts of Front Avenue and 5th Street means the city must either replace the signal or remove it, and that permanent decision will be made as part of that project. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- During the trial, the city will review crashes in the trial area and work with BNSF Railroad to watch for southbound vehicles backing up onto the tracks just north of the intersection. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- If backups onto the tracks happen, the city will consider other options, such as free flowing north south traffic with stop signs controlling only east west traffic. [Bismarck Source]
What they left out / still unanswered
- No end date is given for the trial beyond several months.
- No timeline is given for the permanent decision on the signal beyond the 2027 road project.
- No cost figures are given for the trial or for the 2027 replacement or removal of the signal.
Official line vs. how each source framed it
- KFYR-TV: KFYR framed it as a trial drivers may notice, added the BNSF coordination and the permanent decision in next year's road project, and gave no start date or source for the city's claims. Read it → · Ads
- Bismarck Source: This source attributed the rationale to Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer and a City of Bismarck News Flash, and added the October 27, 2026 start date, 1978 install, 2027 construction timing, study results, and a fallback plan if backups occur. Read it →
701 News writes these summaries from the sources above and checks every sentence against them. Read the originals for the full reporting. Corrections