No Right-Turn Sign on Arbor Might Be Removed

The no right-turn sign on Arbor Avenue onto westbound Flora Avenue likely will soon be removed.

On Tuesday, Maplewood City Council offered preliminary approval for removing the sign after more than 50 percent of residents in the 7300 block of Flora signed a petition seeking the change. The resolution will require final approval during the next city council meeting. 

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The sign was added more than 15 years ago to discourage traffic. Homeowners said it became an inconvenience.  

Ward 3 Councilman Barry Greenberg voted against the removal because he wasn't confident the petition accurately reflected the number of residents who supported the removal. He sought a city-sponsored survey, instead.

"Let's say there is a two-person household. When one person signs the petition, it counts for the household. Ten signatures doesn't mean that all 20 residents were in favor of the ordinance," Greenberg said. "If we would have done a survey instead of a petition, I would have felt better."

Greenberg asked that city council revisit the issue in six months to see if residents still approved of the sign's removal. 

Mayor James White strongly disagreed and said that if residents didn’t like the consequences, they could bring up a revocation of the ordinance later. 

City council is next scheduled to meet on September 13.