New Traffic Pattern at Water and Court Street Intersection

Posted: March 20, 2026 in City News, Street Department News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Decorah Street Department

Press Contact: Michael O’Hara, Public Works Director

 

 New Traffic Pattern at Water and Court Street Intersection

 

Decorah, IA (March 20, 2026) – Starting Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at approximately 10:00 am the traffic signals at the intersection of Water and Court Street will be deactivated and bagged. Since the traffic lights are deactivated, West and East bound traffic on Water Street do not need to stop. Drivers are reminded under Iowa law that motorists must yield the right of way to pedestrians who are within a marked or unmarked crosswalk. All motorists traveling North on Court Street must come to a complete stop at the newly installed stop sign and yield to pedestrians and traffic on Water Street before entering the intersection.

 

The decision to deactivate the signals at the intersection of Water and Court Street follows a recent vehicle hitting and severely damaging the traffic control cabinet. A full replacement is expected to exceed $20,000. We are concerned that addressing the current damage may uncover hidden infrastructure issues within the 30-year-old system, resulting in a much larger and unpredictable financial cost. We are implementing this new configuration as a practical alternative. This will allow us to fully evaluate the efficiency of the new traffic flow pattern before committing to a significant reinvestment in the traffic signal infrastructure.

 

We appreciate the community’s patience as we explore this cost-effective option for the intersection.

 

Please contact City Hall at 563-382-3651 with any questions.

 

 

This is an official city press release.  Modifications of any kind are prohibited without the express written consent of the author.  Any reprint or broadcast of this information must include this entire communication.

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