The stop sign discussion has been active for years. A non-binding poll was taken over a year ago, and the numbers were about 1/2 for, and 1/2 against. A traffic study completed about the same time showing that the 1st SRB/Quinlan Park intersection met warrants for a traffic signal. However, with no clear consensus from the community, Travis County decided to pass on installing signals. Since then, two new elementary schools have opened nearby (River Place and Grandview Hills) potentially reducing traffic during peak hours. A new traffic study was started a few weeks ago, and those results should be available soon. If you have input on this topic, the Steiner Ranch Facilities Committee meeting is a place discuss the topic with your community.

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The loss of traffic from River Place residents going to Laura Bush has been more than offset by the development further down Quinlan, and there are more houses to come. The prime time is really the 7:15-8:00 time period, and it’s not going to get any better. If the lights would help the flow, I’m all for it.
As for other times, I do think lights would help with safety. My wife’s car was almost t-boned by someone running the stop sign, and many people seem unwilling to yield correctly and/or wait their turn.

I really don’t see the need for a traffic light at that intersection – just not enough traffic to warrant it, IMO. It is bad in the morning with people dropping kids off at school, but a light is not going to help that – it’s just too many cars trying to get into a small school lot.

However, I DO think we need a stop sign at John Simpson and Steiner Ranch Blvd (by John Simpson Park). It’s getting harder and harder to cross that intersection to get to my mailbox or the playground.

I have wanted a light there for a long time. Aside from the morning school rush and helping with that, I think it would be helpful with all the construction traffic and large trrucks that barrel through there throughout the day. It can be set to flash in evenign hours which woudl make it the same as a 4-way stop but much more visible to oncoming traffic.

I think there are a few intersections that need lights. If we could rely on common courtesy in driving, that would be great, but it’s not realistic. I have almost been “T-boned” at the first Quinlan/Steiner Ranch Blvd. intersection many times, after coming to a stop and waiting for what should be right of way (yes, I’m one of those annoying jerks who actually stops at stop signs, pay attention and you won’t have to slam on the breaks to avoid rear-ending me, either). Drivers who are so inattentive they don’t see a car or truck in the intersection before blowing through it may not notice a stop light either, but there is hope.

I’ve also called on delivery and construction vehicles running that stop sign and usually speeding, too, when the school zone lights are on. I would think implementing something to improve safety in the school zones would have more support.

I’d also support photo-radar in the school zones, but that’s another topic.

I am all for a stop light at Wag a Bag intersection. My house backs up to Quinlann and it is so loud with cars driving 60 miles an hour along the road by the golf course.

Let’s organize to push for converting the Steiner Ranch Elem and Wag A Bag intersections into roundabouts then – seems like there’s a reasonably large amount of support.

What we have now at the intesection by Steiner Ranch Elementary is unsafe and incredibly inneficient. In the mornings I have sat in queues as long as 4/10 of a mile waiting to get to the intersection from either road. In the afternoons I have often felt the concern as I enter the intersection that someone else is going to speed through out of turn and cause a wreck.

I can state with reasonable certainty given a background as a civil engineer practicing in the transportation industry, this intersection will meet signal warrants, as it did before. I am not sure about the other intersection. The only way to push more traffic through this location in peak hours is a light, with precedence given to Quinlan Park. This would not preclude the crossing guards from preempting traffic to allow students to cross as needed, but would require coordination of the traffic at this intersection with the crossing guards in front of the school.

For other times of day, it would seem to me that the light would be left on default for Quinlan, but cars on Steiner could trip a camera to allow the light to change, which doesn’t take much more time than stopping for a stop sign, and is tremendously safer.

The sign was put up on the Portobella turn after the county did a traffic count and found that there were significant numbers cutting through at the early morning hours, and travelling at high speeds. The swere designed as interior neighborhood roads (i.e. 25 mph). The heavy traffic was causing safety issues for kids walking to school and for residents just trying to get out of a driveway

Traffic circles are awesomely efficient if used correctly, but the drivers here seem to be such non-attentive & aggressive a-holes that I wouldn’t give them much chance for success.

Traffic lights could improve the throughput if set up correctly, sounds like the best option.

In the mean time, how about everybody turn off their god damn cellphones and pay attention at the 4 -way stops!?

I’m glad to see everyone getting along so well Looks like this IS a touchy subject as I thought it would be…I love all of the opinions and as for cellphones, I agree…I have Sprint and my cellphone NEVER works, but I DO agree with getting of your friggin’ cell and DRIVING…it drives me nuts to see people with what looks like a piece of plastic stuck to their friggin’ head…arm cramps anyone???

Why not change the road to give priority (remove 4-ways) to the main road, i.e. Quinlan Park. It makes no sense to give equal priority to QP and the side roads. Based on viewing the traffic at various times of the day, if the main road (QP) flowed properly and the based on the traffic from the side roads, it would be no issue for side road egress.

The second issue is whether the removal of the 4-ways would lead to further traffic calming needs, possibly yes – but people obey the speed limits – 45 is a fair speed for the type of road and be warned the police are ever present to catch you people daring to do 46 ;o)

You only need stop lights when there is a full time issue. We have an issue only during 1/2 an hour two times in the morning and two times in the afternoon at school times. People do not carpool! Do not allow their kids to walk or ride a bike and Do not drive responsible. Get a grip!

Much of this problem would be solved if the people that could walk their kids to school actually did. So many people drive 1/2 – 1 mile to drop their kids off and then turn around and go home.

Here’s a BIG vote for traffic circles, but I don’t think there is room at the first SRB/QP intersection. Second choice is a light that operates during rush hours only and is a red blinking light at all other times.

I don’t proceed out of turn at stop signs, ever. It defeats the purpose of having an order, causes hiccups in the flow thereby slowing down the intersection for everyone but you, and compromises safety. It also pisses people off.

I think the srb/quinlan intersection by the Town Square would be perfect for a traffic circle. There is a traffic circle already in place by the new high school. This makes me hopeful that we have it as an option.

As far as construction, things were pretty congested when they shut down the Quinlan exit to add lanes and everyone in Steiner had to use the SR exit (they had a traffic light on 620 for it). Now we have a four-lane entrance road. Construction is a temporary inconvenience for a greater, more permanent improvement.

Here is the story about the light: http://www.hillcountrynews.com/articles/2009/08/27/news/four_points/news23.txt