Visibility Is Required

All intersections must have clear visibility on all corners for pedestrians and vehicles, even if no traffic signs or signals are present. If the City is notified that there might be a visibility problem at your corner, we will contact you as a reminder to keep nearby vegetation trimmed or remove the obstruction. If the trees and shrubs are not trimmed or the obstruction removed in a timely manner, the City may trim the vegetation or remove the obstruction at your cost.

In addition, should a collision occur as the result of an obstruction that you are responsible to maintain, you may be held liable.

Requirements

At intersections, the area between 36 inches (91 centimeters) and 90 inches (229 centimeters) above the roadway surface needs to be clear of any obstructions. When measured from the sidewalk level, obstructions must be under 30-inches.

The exact length and depth of the clear area depends upon the type of control at the intersection (traffic signal, stop sign, yield sign, none) and the speed limit of the streets. But in general, property owners need to maintain the area between 10 feet (3 meters) in back of a sidewalk or 15 feet (4.6 meters) from the edge of the intersecting street.

The following table and diagram (PDF) show the City of Kennewick minimum visibility standard for a stop sign or traffic signal controlled intersection. To determine which one applies to your street, find the posted speed limit for the major intersecting street. All city streets are 25 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted.

Speed Limits & Distance From Center Line

Posted Speed Limit	Distance from Center Line of Intersection
50 miles per hour	525 feet
50 miles per hour	525 feet
45 miles per hour	470 feet
40 miles per hour	415 feet
35 miles per hour	360 feet
30 miles per hour	310 feet
25 miles per hour	250 feet
20 miles per hour	200 feet

For uncontrolled intersections there must be clear visibility within a triangular area formed by measuring approximately 80 feet along centerlines of both intersecting streets.

Streets & Sidewalks

Tree limbs over sidewalks and streets must be properly maintained to allow pedestrians to walk on sidewalks and walkway, and vehicles to travel on the street without interference. Also shrubs, bushes and other objects should not project into the sidewalk or street travel area. To ensure safe passage for everyone, vegetation needs to be maintained to a minimum of seven feet overhanging a sidewalk and 14-feet overhanging the roadway.