About a half-dozen community members spoke in favor Monday of placing a three-way stop sign at the intersection where an Albert Lea girl was killed in July.

Albert Lea City Engineer Steven Jahnke presented his recommendation to the Albert Lea City Council that no stop sign be placed at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and Eighth Street Monday night, where 8-year-old Sophie Stultz was struck and killed while riding a bicycle July 2.

Jahnke said the recommendation was based on a number of factors, such as speed, traffic volume, sight-distance restrictions and other miscellaneous conditions at the intersection.

Data and sight-line reviews have been collected at the intersection over the last few months.

On a point system, in which a score of 120 is needed for a stop sign to be recommended, the intersection scored a 90 based on those factors.

The council approved directing city staff to draft a resolution to consider a three-way stop sign at the intersections of Frank Hall Drive and Eighth and Ninth streets. The council will take action on the resolution in October.

In calling for the resolution, 6th Ward Councilor Al “Minnow” Brooks said three-way stop signs at the intersections are needed to help with fast traffic on Frank Hall Drive.

After Jahnke’s presentation, community members spoke for nearly an hour, expressing their support for placing a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and Eighth Street.

Sophie Stultz’ mother, Sarah Stultz, discussed the joy her daughter brought to her life, and her hope that a three-way stop sign be placed at the intersection.

“While there are many factors that contributed to this crash – and those are discussed in the State Patrol’s reconstruction report – I firmly believe that had there been three-way stop signs on Frank Hall Drive at that intersection that the crash may not have occurred,” she said.

Speeds also need to be reduced at the intersection, Stultz said.

“I don’t live in this neighborhood, but I have talked to many, many people in the last few weeks who now live or who at one time lived in this neighborhood, and many of these people agree,” she said.

Presently, Frank Hall Drive only has stop signs at one intersection along the length of the corridor. These stop signs – at the road’s intersection with Fourth Street – were installed after 3-year-old Allison Martinson died from injuries she received from being struck by a car in 1978. At that time neighbors petitioned the city for stop signs and called for something to be done about the speed of cars on the street.

Martinson’s father, Allan Martinson, said installing stop signs at the intersection is a worthy investment.

“What’s cheaper, a few stop signs or a girl’s life?” he said.

He challenged Brooks to lead the effort to install the stop signs.
“Fight for them,” Martinson said.

Nick Ronnenberg, who has led the effort to install the stop signs at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and Eighth Street, said there is another factor to implement stop signs than the traffic survey.

“There is a human factor,” he said.

Ronnenberg, who leads the group Make our Neighborhood SAFE, said the organization wants to make improvements to the greater Frank Hall Drive neighborhood.

“We’re going to continue, we’re going to push forward,” he said.

Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr. said the public forum was held so councilors could evaluate the situation and the policy.

“We’re really here to hear the concerns and move forward with what we feel is an appropriate decision for our community,” he said.

Community members became emotional at times during the public forum.

Frank Hall Drive resident Raymond Bliss said he tried his best to save Sophie Stultz after she was struck, noting he never wanted the council to take action to prevent a similar situation from occurring.

“Somebody’s going to get hit and I don’t want to have to bury another one,” he said.