City to add 4 Flashing Stop Signs

The City of Three Forks will soon place four new flashing stop signs on 7th Avenue near the Headwaters Golf Course.

At their meeting last week, the Three Forks City Council voted unanimously to purchase the signs after a presentation from Headwaters Golf Course Board members.

With an expansion project to the clubhouse that will add simulators to generate income during the winter months set to begin soon, Board Member Nathan Judd said there had been some concerns from residents on 7th Avenue about additional traffic and the speed of drivers.

“We’re trying to slow down traffic and make it as safe as we can,” said Judd. “I don’t think it will be a huge increase in traffic, but enough we should think about it.”

Council member Ed Tharp, who also works at the golf course, said every day he sees people who blow through the four stop signs like they are not even there, and at least the flashing signs would get their attention.

Judd said he thinks signs similar to those in front of the school would be a good idea, but one resident was not happy with having the lights in front of their house. Unlike the school signs, which are on at night, Judd discussed the possibility of having the lights on only during the day.

“We’re just trying to appease everyone and doing what we can to decrease traffic,” Judd said.

Councilmember Gene Townsend said that traffic from the summer months has been lost in the winter months, but he does understand that the blinking signs catch motorists’ eyes.

City Clerk Crystal Turner estimated the cost of each replacement stop sign to be under $1,000.

Judd also shared with the Council the idea of expanding the 12-foot-high chain-link fence, which would address safety concerns about people walking on the path to the ponds and adding an armor mesh windscreen.