HANCOCK COUNTY — A busy, accident-prone intersection will become a four-way stop next week after a traffic study brought on by concerned neighbors showed new stop signs could curb the problem.
Stop signs will be installed on State Road 234 at Fortville Pike on Monday, weather permitting, Indiana Department of Transportation officials announced Thursday.
Currently, the intersection is a two-way stop. Motorists on Fortville Pike must yield to traffic on State Road 234. But the awkward angle of the road makes for a difficult line of sight and causes up to eight accidents a year, according to the Hancock County Highway Department.
The area sees about 3,000 vehicles daily, county highway engineer Gary Pool said, adding, “It’s a skewed intersection. That’s what causes most of the problems.”
The county highway department worked with INDOT to study the intersection. After a bad wreck in December, a group of neighbors filed a formal complaint.
Nathan Riggs, INDOT spokesman, said the study was complaint-driven but proved to have merit. Most of the crashes at the site are broadside crashes due to the difficult line of sight, he said.
“The crash history at this intersection indicated that implementing a four-way stop at this location could correct many of these types of crashes,” Riggs said. “As soon as crews can get out next week, they’re going to be making this change.”
INDOT also will install flashing red lights to the new stop signs on State Road 234 to increase visibility and help alert motorists.
Illuminated message signs will be placed temporarily at the intersection.
