Residents press township for faster action after Trans Associates study flagged Wildwood Road Extension and Middle Road intersection as unsafe

Lauren Scribe, a Hampton resident, told the township council on Oct. 22 that a traffic-safety study by Trans Associates concluded the Wildwood Road Extension and Middle Road intersection is unsafe and “meets but exceeds the criteria for always stop control.” She said the intersection has seen six accidents so far this year — more than any year in the previous 15 she reviewed — and urged council to formally request action so improvements are not delayed another six months.

Scribe said the township followed local process after the study: staff provided the Trans Associates report to Allegheny County and PennDOT, and a field meeting occurred in mid-August. She told council she had recently spoken to Ken Varhalla, chief of staff to Allegheny County Council, who confirmed a request was filed but that the county had not yet completed an internal review. Scribe said she had been told a PennDOT phase 1 safety study was underway and that report might be available in November or December; she urged council to press for timelier results.

Township staff acknowledged delays but cautioned that engineering staff at PennDOT expressed concerns about possible queuing and secondary crashes if stop signs were installed at the location. The township noted the county has placed intersection improvement on its capital plan, which signals recognition of a design issue, but that capital funding and design work could be years away. Township staff committed to following up with PennDOT for a firm schedule and to share the phase 1 study results with Scribe when available.

Scribe suggested interim measures used at similar township locations — such as advance warning signs, flashing beacons on stop signs for an initial period, and other temporary signage used on Fox Way — to help drivers adapt and reduce rear-end collisions if an all-way stop is installed. Another resident raised concern that agencies sometimes decline to release studies citing legal liability; council said it would be persistent in seeking PennDOT’s report and would continue coordination with county and state engineers.

Why it matters: The intersection is on a common commuter route and has a higher accident count this year, according to the resident’s statement. A PennDOT phase 1 safety study is the formal engineering review that will inform whether stop control or other countermeasures are appropriate. Council cannot unilaterally change state-controlled road controls but can send formal requests and coordinate with Allegheny County and PennDOT.