ODOT: three area intersections to become all-way stops

VW independent staff/submitted information

LIMA — The Ohio Department of Transportation District 1 will convert three intersections to all-way stops to improve safety. Two of them are in Mercer County, with one near Rockford, while remaining change will occur in Paulding County.

The changes are expected to begin in two weeks and are part of a statewide initiative that is implementing all-way stops at select intersections throughout Ohio.

The locations selected for conversion are where crash data found the most common type of crash was the result of a failure to stop or a failure to yield to cross-traffic that was not required to stop.

“Following the successful implementation of all-way stops at eight intersections in the spring, initial results are encouraging and well-received by local communities,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “As we evaluate other intersections with low crash rates, but concerning safety trends, we are pleased to have this low-cost tool available where it is needed most.” 

The work will take place over the next two months. The locations and expected timing of the closures are detailed below:

August 24: Mercer County – Ohio 119 (Defiance Avenue)/Ohio 716 (Harrison Street) in the village of Maria Stein.

August 31: Mercer County – Ohio 118/Ohio 707 near the village of Rockford.

September 7: Paulding County – Ohio 637/County Road 138 in Jackson Township.

Message boards to alert drivers of the changes will be placed approximately two weeks prior and remain on site for approximately two weeks after the change to remind motorists of the new traffic pattern. All approaches of the intersections will be equipped with flashing stop-ahead signs. 

ODOT will continue to monitor the intersections to ensure the all-way stop is operating as intended.

Throughout Ohio, ODOT is reviewing intersections to determine where all-way stops could make travel safer. The solution has been found to improve intersection safety in other states. Since 2018, the state of North Carolina converted over 500 intersections from a typical two-way to all-way stop control. Their analysis of 348 of these locations showed a 100 percent reduction in fatal crashes and 95 percent reduction in serious injury crashes. Similar results were also seen in the state of Delaware.