Signs Confusing Some Motorists In Evanston

EVANSTON (CBS) -- It happens repeatedly: Cars stop at Ridge and Foster in Evanston, even though they are not required to stop when pedestrians aren't present.

Ryan Yast sees it when he's driving in other parts of town, too.

"There's a bunch of those where no one's ever at the pedestrian crosswalks, but everybody's always stopping," he says.

Many drivers are clearly thrown off by signs posted at these sites -- a small stop sign inside a bigger sign. Look at the sign carefully and you'll see that drivers are only supposed to stop if pedestrians are trying to cross the street.

Evanston alderman Jane Grover makes no apologies for the confusion.

"I hope (drivers) slow long enough to actually read the sign," she told CBS 2's Jim Williams.

Before the signs went up in November, Grover and Evanston's engineer, Paul Schneider, said pedestrians often had a hard time crossing streets in town.

"A yield sign with an Evanston police patrol car parked in the alley looking to enforce the yield sign was not enough," Grover says.

"One of the complaints we were getting is people who live close to the lakefront could not get across Sheridan Road to enjoy the lakefront," Schneider said.

The city officials are confident drivers will get used to the signs.

But driver Harrison Stamell says getting around now is a real challenge.

"I will slow down, but I'm really frustrated when I'm behind a person who actually stops all the way," he said.

The signs are highlighting a state law that requires drivers to stop for pedestrians trying to the cross the street, officials say.

The signs are at 17 intersections in Evanston, but could soon be placed on other streets, officials said.