The full picture · 2 sources
City of Bismarck tests all way stop at Fifth Street and Front Avenue in place of traffic signal
Updated Nov 2, 7:37 PM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.
What the primary sources show
- The city's trial of an all way stop at Fifth Street and Front Avenue was set to replace the traffic signal starting Tuesday, October 27, 2026. [Bismarck Source]
- The trial will last several months, according to the City of Bismarck news flash. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- The signal was installed in 1978, and City Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer said it has far outlived the typical 30 to 40 year lifespan for that equipment. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- Holzer said traffic volume does not meet federal criteria for a traffic signal, and a city study found an all way stop would shorten lines and reduce wait times. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- A road construction project planned for 2027 will affect Front Avenue and 5th Street, and the city must either replace or remove the signal as part of that work. A permanent decision on the intersection will come with that project. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- The city's Engineering Department will watch crashes during the trial and work with BNSF Railroad to check for southbound traffic backing up from Front Avenue onto the tracks. If that happens, other control options will be considered. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
What they left out / still unanswered
- When does the trial end, and when will the city announce its permanent decision on the signal?
- Have the crash numbers from the trial period been reviewed, and will the city release them?
- What would replacing the signal cost compared with removing it and keeping the stop signs?
Official line vs. how each source framed it
- KFYR-TV: KFYR-TV framed the change as a city test that leaves the permanent choice open, and it added that the city will coordinate with BNSF Railroad to keep traffic from backing onto the tracks. It gave no start date and called the stop a four way stop, where the city's own release says all way. Read it → · Ads
- Bismarck Source: This report relayed the City of Bismarck news flash and quoted Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer on the signal's age, traffic volume, and study results, and it added the October 27, 2026 start date and the fallback options if southbound vehicles back onto the tracks. 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