Stop signs will be placed Monday in the 2000 block of Perryville Road where it intersects with Lexington Street, Cape Girardeau Police Chief Howard Boyd said.

The signs will be used to stop motorists traveling on Perryville Road and are designed to alert motorists that Lexington and Perryville will be a four-way stop intersection, the city's police department reported. Lexington is under construction.

"From a public safety perspective, it is important to acclimate motorists to the fact that they will be required to stop on a stretch of roadway where they have never had to stop before," Boyd said.

"We want to do our best to reduce the risk of accidents at that intersection simply because people were not aware they were supposed to stop."

The department said the stretch of Lexington between Perryville and Abbey roads is expected to open in late August. At that time, it said, the intersection of Perryville and Lexington will become a three-way stop. However, the intersection will become a four-way stop when Lexington is completed.

Police officers will pay special attention to the stop signs to ensure compliance, the department said.