Stop — in the name of the law, or a potential law, anyway.

Local residents have noticed a covered stop sign at the corner of Marilyn Horne Way and Main Street, where motorists round Veterans Square to enter Main Street.

Sara Andrews, executive director of the Office of Economic and Community Development, explained the sign was added as part of the Main Street streetscape project.

“The design engineer did not realize that the stop sign at that corner needed to be added to the city’s sign ordinance in order for it to be installed,” she explained, “and we missed it in our review of the plans.”

For now, the sign is covered until city council decides whether they want to keep it there, and add it to the sign ordinance.

“If they decide not to add it, the sign will be removed,” Andrews explained. “Until that time, we are keeping it covered.”

It seems that city officials are in favor of a stop sign at that location.

“There should be a stop sign there,” said Chip Comilla, who heads the city’s public works department. Without a stop sign, traffic rounding the square doesn’t have to stop, even if they are turning left and into the lanes of oncoming traffic.

“Council has not discussed it or voted on it yet,” said Mayor Tom Riel. “I think there should be a stop sign there for safety reasons.

“I see a lot of people coming to a stop there now,” he added. The crosswalks at that intersection are busy. And there is a significant amount of traffic coming around the square to turn left.

“With people coming out of two parking lots there,” Riel said, referring to the lot behind the Eye Care Professional Associates building at 20 Main St. and the lot for Marilyn Horne Hall. “If people want to come out and turn left, there should be a stop sign there. Or at a minimum, a yield.”

It was unclear on Tuesday if the matter of the sign would be addressed at the final council meeting of the year, which is set for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 27.