Hampton resident urges stop signs at Wildwood Road Extension and Middle Road after traffic study

Lauren Shiver, a Hampton Township resident, asked the township council Wednesday to request Allegheny County install stop signs at the Wildwood Road Extension and Middle Road intersection, citing a November 2024 traffic study by Trans Associates and recent crashes.

Shiver told council she reviewed Allegheny County crash data and the Trans Associates update and said the study recommends "stop signs should be installed on [Middle Road] approaches to Wildwood Road Extension." She said the study found seven accidents during a 36‑month period, above the report’s five‑accident threshold, and that there was another crash earlier the same day she spoke.

The study, Shiver said, projects that adding all‑way stop control would halve queuing on Wildwood Road Extension during peak periods. She said the highest individual queue under the proposed control would be about 25 seconds for southbound traffic during the 4:45–5:45 p.m. peak; the aggregate intersection delay would increase by roughly two seconds during the peak hour. The study also recommended vegetation pruning, a “stop sign ahead” warning on the southbound approach, painted warnings on Bridal Road, and temporary flashing lights on the stop signs for at least 60 days.

Township officials clarified the process for implementing changes on Middle Road. "It’s on them to decide whether or not they want to follow the engineer’s report and put up the stop signs," the township manager said, referring to Allegheny County. Council members noted Middle Road is a county road, and that Hampton must request the county take action; Shiver said Allegheny County staff and state representatives she contacted viewed the recommended changes as straightforward.

Councilmembers and residents who spoke at the meeting raised benefits and concerns. Supporters said the study targets the source of most incidents and suggested a 90‑day trial to measure impacts; others worried about increased rear‑end collisions, longer waits, and traffic shifting to neighboring streets during a multi‑season Route 8/Wildwood Road reconstruction. One councilmember asked for additional data and recommended scheduling any trial in the fall to capture school‑period traffic.

Council did not vote on a change at the meeting. Instead, members agreed to place the intersection recommendation on the next month’s agenda, invite Trans Associates to present its conclusions, and attempt to get a county representative to attend so residents could ask implementation questions in a public forum.

Shiver urged prompt action, saying the study authors and county staff expect the county to accept a township request; others on council asked for more detail from the consultant and county staff before recommending a specific change. The item will return to council for public discussion and possible formal action at a later meeting.