The full picture · 2 sources
City tests stop signs in place of the traffic signal at Fifth Street and Front Avenue
Updated Nov 3, 12:08 PM CT. Every fact below links to the source that reported it.
What the primary sources show
- The city is testing a stop sign setup at Fifth Street and Front Avenue in place of the traffic signal. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- The signal was installed in 1978, and City Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer said it has run well past the usual 30 to 40 year lifespan. [Bismarck Source]
- City engineers said traffic volume does not meet federal criteria for a traffic signal. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- A city study found the stop sign setup would shorten vehicle lines and reduce wait times compared with the signal. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- During the trial the city will review crash data and work with BNSF Railroad to watch for southbound vehicles backing up from Front Avenue onto the tracks. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
- The city must replace or remove the signal as part of a planned 2027 road project on Front Avenue and 5th Street, and the permanent choice will be made then. [KFYR-TV] [Bismarck Source]
What they left out / still unanswered
- When does the trial end, and when will the city announce whether the signal is replaced or removed?
- What will the 2027 Front Avenue and 5th Street project cost, and what would a replacement signal cost?
- Will the city publish the trial's crash and wait time results, and when?
Official line vs. how each source framed it
- KFYR-TV: KFYR framed the change as something drivers may notice, reported the city engineers' view that volume does not meet federal signal criteria, and gave no start date or lifespan figure. Read it → · Ads
- Bismarck Source: Bismarck Source attributed the details to a City News Flash and quoted Traffic Engineer Chris Holzer, adding the October 27, 2026 start date, the typical 30 to 40 year signal lifespan, and fallback options if vehicles back up 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