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State engineer asks Alleghany commissioners to back all‑way stop at NC 18 and Sparta Parkway
Summary
NCDOT Division 11 engineers recommended an all‑way stop at the NC 18/Sparta Parkway intersection citing crash reductions and low cost, asked the board for a resolution of support and discussed roundabout and signal options and timelines.
Matthew Evans, division maintenance engineer for N.C. Division 11, briefed commissioners on traffic safety at the NC 18 and Sparta Parkway intersection and urged local support for an all‑way stop. Evans said past safety improvements in December 2020 (enhanced signage, rumble strips and oversized flashers) reduced some crash types, but the intersection recorded 19 crashes from 2015–2020 (including one fatality or serious injury) and eight crashes from January 2021–February 2025.
Evans outlined three options: a roundabout (estimated cost about $4,700,000 and complicated by environmental impacts), a traffic signal (which the site does not currently meet warrants for), and an all‑way stop. He described statewide evidence that all‑way stops can produce substantial crash reductions: "The total crashes per year went down at a 55% reduction... fatal and class A injuries ... had a 92 percent reduction" in comparable projects, and said an all‑way stop could be installed quickly at a much lower cost (he estimated under $50,000).
Evans formally requested a local resolution supporting implementation of an all‑way stop to show local buy‑in; he said the state prefers local backing though it can pursue projects without it. Commissioners asked follow‑up questions about ticketing, driver confusion at a four‑way stop, signal warrants and public outreach; Evans offered to provide crash citation data and to run outreach/education during the adjustment period if the board supports the measure.
Commissioners expressed mixed views in discussion: some emphasized safety and quick implementation, others worried a four‑way stop could confuse motorists used to the existing signal. Evans said roundabout funding cycles push realistic construction into the 2032–2037 window and that the all‑way stop is a lower‑cost, quicker safety treatment while the roundabout remains a longer‑term option.
The board did not record a formal vote on the request in the transcript excerpt; staff said a local resolution would be helpful for the state process.
