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1. How do I get a deaf or blind child area warning sign installed on my street?

The Town of Castle Rock is very concerned about child safety. A resident living within the Town limits of Castle Rock who wishes to have a (Deaf/Blind) Child Area warning sign installed must submit a written request to the traffic engineer technician. The written request shall contain a statement to the effect that the child is under 18 years of age and shall be signed and dated by a parent. The request needs to have the child's address of residence and contact information of a parent for record keeping. The requester shall renew the request every two years in a written form to the traffic engineer. Documentation will need to be submitted by a licensed professional documenting the child's need for the warning signs in their neighborhood. Based on the location of where the signs need to be installed on your street, neighbors may need to be notified ahead of time as a courtesy. When a sign is approved, the following guidelines apply:

• The (Deaf/Blind) Child Area sign shall be placed in accordance with the guidelines in the MUTCD
• The sign placement will be reviewed every two years to insure that the criteria stated above still applies
• The sign(s) will be removed when the child becomes 18 years of age The requester of the sign shall be responsible for notifying the Town of Castle Rock traffic engineer if the child is no longer living at the address for which the signs were placed
• The requester of the sign shall recognize that these signs are supplemental signs for warning purposes only and do not carry full protection for the child

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2023

2. How are crosswalks determined?

In order to gain consistency on how crosswalks are marked, the Town's Traffic Engineering Division follows the Town Council-approved Crosswalk Marking Guidelines. The establishment of guidelines helps reduce the indiscriminate marking of crosswalks, helps increase awareness for motorists and pedestrians, and strives to increase safety for both. Crosswalk markings are not needed at intersections where legal crosswalks exist in order for them to be enforced. This is an important distinction to be kept in mind and is the guiding principal for the establishment of these guidelines. Markings should be limited to locations where legal crosswalks don't already exist in order to create one and at intersections with legal crosswalks only when additional supplemental treatments are added to increase safety. Standard locations that are marked are uncontrolled approaches, stop sign-controlled approaches, traffic signals on all approaches, school zone crosswalks and safe routes to school. All other locations are engineer-reviewed following the Crosswalk Marking Guidelines.

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2023

3. How do I get a stop sign installed on my street?

Each year, the Town of Castle Rock receives many requests to install stop signs as a way to reduce speeding. The purpose of a stop sign is to assign right-of-way at an intersection or where traffic is required to stop.

Stop signs are installed at intersections when an engineering evaluation indicates the installation is appropriate. They are installed where a minor street enters a major street, on a street entering a highway or where a combination of restricted view and accident history indicates a need.

Federal and state regulations require the installation of all traffic control devices, including stop signs, to follow the guidelines in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The manual dictates the size, shape and color of all traffic control signs. This manual has guidelines for installing signs in order to create uniformity from state to state, which makes it easier to drive in places you have never visited before.

Similarly, many people believe installing stop signs on all approaches to an intersection will result in reduced speeding or fewer accidents.

There is no real evidence to indicate that stop signs decrease the overall speed of traffic. In fact, impatient drivers view the additional delay caused by unwarranted stop signs as lost time to be made up by driving at higher speeds between stop signs. Again, if problems with speeding exist, stricter enforcement should be sought from appropriate law enforcement authorities.

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2023

4. How are speed limits determined?

Speed limits on Town roadways are determined on the basis of traffic engineering surveys. These surveys include an analysis of roadway conditions, accident records and a count of the prevailing speed of traffic. A safe and reasonable limit is set at or below the speed at which 85% of drivers drive.

Traffic flowing at a uniform speed results in increased safety and fewer accidents. Drivers are less impatient, pass less often and tailgate less, which reduces both head-on and rear-end collisions.

Posting the appropriate speed limit eases the job of law enforcement so most traffic chooses to abide by the speed limit posted. Patrol officers then are not subjected to defend unrealistic and arbitrary speed limits.

Reviewed Mar. 15, 2023