— Dan Cairl adopted the principles, and at all times made it his observe to step exterior of his Cosmos Motorbike Provide store on Milkyway Avenue each time he took a smoke break.
That nook has allowed him a front-row seat to motorists breaking the principles. He has witnessed many autos rolling by means of the four-way cease on the busy intersection of Minnesota Highways 4 and seven within the heart of Cosmos, a few block from his store.
Final fall, he moved his Cosmos Motorbike Provide store from its location within the downtown to the northwest nook of the intersection, which he mentioned is akin to being on the 50-yard line on the soccer stadium. He sees all of the motion.
It’s the semitractor-trailers rolling by means of the cease indicators that fear him most. “You may hear ‘em, hear ‘em, ‘Oh God, they don’t seem to be going to cease.’ They don’t seem to be going to cease and zoom proper by means of the intersection,” he mentioned, describing what he’s witnessed.
Tom Cherveny / West Central Tribune
On three totally different events since transferring to his new location, he’s watched autos leap the curb and find yourself in his car parking zone whereas making an attempt to keep away from collisions with autos rolling by means of the cease indicators.
“You hear the horns, tires screeching and it’s like, ‘oh crap,’” Cairl mentioned.
Final fall, he regarded out simply in time to observe a automotive plow right into a truck and trailer, sending plastic and metallic flying.
That was it: He made it his mission to enhance security on the intersection.
Tom Cherveny / West Central Tribune
Cairl’s asking for the set up of flashing LED lights on the cease indicators on the intersection. There may be at present a purple flashing mild mounted above every of the cease indicators, however he doesn’t imagine they’re sufficient to seize the eye of motorists.
He’s satisfied that a part of the problem is that motorists simply aren’t anticipating to come across cease indicators.
Though there are sign lights in Hutchinson, motorists on Freeway 7 coming from the east haven’t seen a cease signal for 70 miles, he calculated. On Freeway 7 to the west, there are sign lights in Montevideo however in any other case, it’s 90 miles between an precise cease signal close to Ortonville.
Little doubt, driver inattentiveness and poor driving practices are additionally accountable.
Ernie Gassman, a buddy visiting Cairl’s store, shook his head whereas expressing his shock that motorists are seemingly caught unaware that they might want to cease. Cosmos, inhabitants 500, may be a small city, however motorists can’t miss seeing the city’s water tower and buildings after driving by miles of open farm fields, he identified.
Tom Cherveny / West Central Tribune
Minnesota Division of Transportation data for the Cosmos intersection present solely two accidents prior to now 10 years. One was a property injury accident, or fender bender, and the opposite concerned a doable damage, possible bumps and bruises and no damaged bones.
The accident price doesn’t exceed what can be anticipated for the quantity of visitors on the intersection. The low accident price means it’s not statistically vital when MnDOT analyzes tips on how to allocate the funds out there for security tasks, in response to info from Cody Model, engineer with MnDOT in Willmar.
The every day visitors quantity on Freeway 7 is about 2,500 to the west of Cosmos and three,500 to the east. It’s roughly 1,500 autos on Freeway 4 each north and south of the group. On Freeway 7, about 400 vans are a part of the every day visitors depend, whereas on Freeway 4, vans signify 200 to 250 of the every day whole, in response to MnDOT.
Model mentioned he has talked to Cairl in regards to the request. He knowledgeable him that MnDOT is keen to put in flashing LED cease indicators if the group of Cosmos is desirous about paying for them.
MnDOT can’t justify spending restricted funds out there for security enhancements when it has no purpose to imagine that flashing LED lights would enhance security.
MnDOT doesn’t have any research or information to indicate than an LED-enhanced cease signal will present a larger profit than flashing beacons, that are at present above the cease indicators there, Model defined. The 12-inch beacons are comparatively giant, and are above 48-inch cease indicators, a comparatively giant measurement for the indicators as properly, he defined.
Model mentioned Cairl’s issues that drivers aren’t attentive to the cease indicators in Cosmos due to the lengthy distance from different cease indicators is a priority for MnDOT as properly. There are research displaying that the longer an individual drives earlier than coming to a cease, the upper the chance that driver could miss a cease signal.
Cosmos Mayor Tom McCarthy mentioned individuals in the neighborhood are receptive to Cairl’s name for flashing LED cease indicators. However the mayor mentioned the town believes it’s the state’s duty to put in and preserve indicators on the state highways, and never the town’s.
“It’s a state freeway and they’re accountable for it,” McCarthy mentioned.
The flashing LED-lighted cease indicators are estimated to value round $2,000 every.
Tom Cherveny / West Central Tribune
Cairl and his spouse, Angie, mentioned they agree with the mayor and imagine the prices and upkeep for flashing LED cease indicators ought to be the state’s duty.
Dan Cairl mentioned that he initially regarded into the opportunity of elevating funds for the indicators. He met with the Cosmos Hearth Division and different teams and located assist for elevating funds, however determined to not pursue the fundraising effort.
Cairl believes that the state ought to pay for the indicators out of the taxes Cosmos residents pay to Minnesota.
He factors out that flashing LED indicators are more and more going up in rural places to enhance security, and believes they might be more practical than the flashing beacons.
He mentioned he realized just lately that for security causes, Renville County added flashing LED cease indicators and transformed two intersections of county roads there from two-way to four-way stops.
Cairl mentioned that he stays involved in regards to the potential for a severe damage accident. He’s additionally involved for pedestrians crossing the intersection. He mentioned college buses drop youth off within the downtown, and it’s definitely not unusual for younger individuals to cross the intersection on foot.
