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Cautionary and Unwarranted Signs

The main reasons the City of West Allis does not generally install “Autistic Child,” “Blind Child”, “Deaf Child,” “Children at Play” or unwarranted stop signs are

  1. Effectiveness and Perception: These cautionary signs do not specify where a child might be located and assume all streets in residential areas have children present. This can give parents and children a false sense of security, and the signs may lose effectiveness over time as they become familiar to drivers. 

  2. Vandalism and Costs: Unique signs are prone to vandalism and theft, leading to high replacement costs. Additionally, they lack established effectiveness and legal precedent in traffic engineering references. 

  3. Unwarranted Stop Signs: Installing unwarranted "stop" signs can lead to more frequent stops by drivers, potentially causing them to drive faster between intersections to save time. This behavior can also foster non-compliance and disrespect for traffic laws. 

  4. Traffic Patterns and Pollution: Unnecessary stop signs can disrupt traffic flow, leading drivers to seek alternate routes and increasing noise and air pollution due to increased acceleration and deceleration. 

  5. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Guidelines: The City follows the MUTCD, which does not approve signs like "Autistic Child," "Blind Child," "Deaf Child," or "Children at Play." It discourages the use of warning signs that may lead to disrespect for all signs when overused. 

  6. Educational and Safety Concerns: Signs like "Children at Play" may unintentionally encourage children to play in the street and give a misleading impression of safety. They are also deemed ineffective by transportation research bodies like the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). 

  7. Enforceability: Cautionary signs provide no legal guidance on safe driving speeds and are unenforceable. They may create confusion and act as obstacles rather than aids to safety. 

In summary, the City of West Allis prioritizes traffic safety based on established guidelines and research, avoiding signs that could potentially compromise safety or lead to ineffective traffic management practices.