Nov. 18, 2008 — People driving near the Lassen County Courthouse in the vicinity will now have to be aware of a few more stop signs on the corner of Mill and South Lassen streets. That’s because, the Susanville City Council, under the direction of the Susanville Police Department, approved a resolution at its Nov. 5 meeting establishing a four-way stop at that intersection.

SPD captain Tom Downing presented a report to the council outlining reasons why traffic needs to be slowed down at that particular intersection.

“Recently, the police department has noticed an increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the area of the Lassen County Courthouse,” Downing said. “The Access to Justice Center has been opened on the corner of Mill and Lassen streets and there are many members of the public and court employees who travel back and forth between the courthouse and the justice center.”

Downing said court employees have come to the SPD with concerns about the street corner, particularly in regards to pedestrian safety.

Downing added some of the department’s officers have also spent time in the area, and those officers agreed that the stop signs would increase safety, particularly for visitors to the area.

Councilmember Doug Sayers expressed his concerns as to how and when the department would begin enforcing the signs.

“I’d like to point out that when we change streets and stop signs and that sort of thing, we need to inform the public of this,” Sayers said. “When we pass this, we need to inform the public that there is in fact a stop sign there.”

Downing said there would be some leeway in the enforcement of the new signs.

“It’s been the policy of the police department to have at least a two-week grace period for people who run the stop-sign,” Downing said. “We’ll make sure to get the word out once its installed. The public works department is good about putting up extra signs to advise them of the stop signs.

The city approved a similar resolution when it authorized the public works department to make South Roop Street between Main Street and Cottage Street a one-way street for southbound traffic.

Public Works Director Craig Platt said the decision to make Roop a one-way street came as a result of the change in traffic flow from the Town Hill project.