In order to prevent collisions, the City installs stop signs where it may be unclear as to who should have the right-of-way. However, stop signs placed at intersections where they're not needed can tempt drivers to disobey stop signs or cut through other neighborhood streets. The City often receives requests from residents for stop signs in order to control speeding.
Stop signs may seem like a good solution to neighborhood speeding, but traffic studies and experience have shown that using stop signs to control speeding doesn't necessarily work. When stop signs are installed to slow down speeders, drivers may actually increase their speed between signs or intersections to compensate for the time lost by stopping. Some drivers tend to accelerate rapidly after a stop, possibly creating an even more dangerous situation. In fact, in residential and business districts, most drivers reach their top speed within 100 feet of a stop sign.