All Way Stop Control: Assessing Past Success and Providing Future Guidelines

Converting intersections from two-way stop control (TWSC) to all-way stop control (AWSC) has been shown to significantly reduce traffic crashes. Recent initiatives by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DOT) and North Carolina DOT reported substantial reductions in fatal and injury crashes at treated intersections, particularly for front-impact crashes. To help reverse a nationwide upward trend in traffic fatalities, and based on successes from these two programs, other states have expressed interest in developing AWSC programs. DOTs need guidelines for effectively building on the successes in Delaware and North Carolina, including: recommendations for developing AWSC programs; noteworthy practices for converting TWSC intersections to AWSC; information regarding driver compliance with AWSC, including the effects of different types of traffic devices (e.g., overhead flashers, “stop ahead” warning signs and pavement markings); guidelines for the frequency with which AWSC should be implemented along a corridor; and recommendations for the minimum distance needed from other intersections for AWSC to continue to operate as expected. The objective of this research is to develop guidelines for converting TWSC intersections to AWSC. These guidelines should include (1) procedures to prioritize intersections as part of an AWSC program, as well as thresholds or rules that can be used to deprioritize AWSC from consideration for an intersection; (2) information on how different applications of AWSC (e.g., frequency of AWSC intersections along a corridor, different signage types) affect safety and other factors, such as driver compliance and corridor travel times; and (3) recommendations for effective signing and pavement marking practices to achieve driver compliance for AWSC intersections. State DOTs would benefit from having a singular nationwide guide to reference and consider while developing their own processes and obtaining resources to overcome opposition from the general public and others who may be unaware of the safety benefits.

• Record URL:
  • http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5840
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $400,000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 03-154

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Retting, Richard

• Start Date: 20250526
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Guidelines; Highway design; Multiway stop signs; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01956601
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 03-154
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: May 28 2025 1:24PM