The full picture · 2 sources
Bismarck tests stop signs in place of a traffic signal at Fifth Street and Front Avenue
Updated Nov 3, 7:08 PM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.
What the primary sources show
- The city is testing an all way stop at Fifth Street and Front Avenue in place of the traffic signal for a trial of several months. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- According to the city's News Flash, as relayed by Bismarck Source, the trial starts Tuesday, October 27, 2026. [Bismarck Source]
- The signal was installed in 1978 and has outlasted its expected lifespan, which Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer said is usually 30 to 40 years. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- Traffic volume at the intersection does not meet federal criteria for a traffic signal, Holzer said. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- A city study found an all way stop would shorten vehicle lines and reduce driver wait times compared with the current signal. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- The Engineering Department 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]
- The city must replace or remove the signal as part of a 2027 road project on Front Avenue and Fifth Street, which will make the permanent decision. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
What they left out / still unanswered
- What is the exact end date of the trial, since the sources say only several months?
- Will the city replace or remove the signal, and when will that be decided before the 2027 project?
- If southbound vehicles back up onto the tracks, which alternative will the city choose, such as N/S free flow with stop signs only on E/W traffic?
Official line vs. how each source framed it
- KFYR-TV: KFYR framed the change as something drivers may notice, reported the trial as lasting several months without a start date, and added that the city will coordinate with BNSF Railroad to keep traffic off the tracks. Read it → · Ads
- Bismarck Source: Bismarck Source relayed the City of Bismarck News Flash and quoted Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer on the signal's age, federal volume criteria, and study results, and it gave the October 27, 2026 start date and the alternative options 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