In view of the KCDC’s obsession with installing as many traffic lights as possible (at considerable cost) in the District, we thought we’d share an example of a significant intersection without them that we went through about a week ago in Calistoga, California.

There isn’t much traffic on the minor road ahead in this position, but as can be seen it is the junction of State Highway 29 (behind) and State Highway 128 (left to right).

It’s an example of an all-way stop intersection controlled just by stop signs.  The protocol is that who arrives first goes first, but everyone has to stop.

It’s certainly quicker overall than traffic lights.  Would a roundabout — as is common in NZ but rare in America — be better? They are quicker again, but we like the principle of everyone stopping first.