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Council adopts local road safety plan and hears pleas for rapid-flashing beacons at dangerous intersection
Summary
The council adopted a local road safety plan that identifies nine priority areas and an estimated $21 million in potential improvements, and residents urged the council to accelerate deployment of rapid-flashing beacons and speed signage at the Stevenson-Cole intersection after multiple serious collisions.
Uniontown city leaders adopted a Local Road Safety Plan on March 9 that identifies nine priority locations and roughly $21,000,000 in possible safety projects, and residents used public comment to press the council for immediate interventions at the Stevenson-Cole intersection.
During public comment a senior resident described multiple recent, serious injuries at the corner near AutoZone and asked the council to install "a set of 4 rectangular solar flashing beacons" and push-button crosswalks to help seniors and other pedestrians cross safely. "We need to protect our seniors," the resident said, urging speed signage and enforcement.
Staff (Brian) told the council the safety plan provides a data-driven framework to identify spot locations and systematic countermeasures, and that adopting the plan would position the city to pursue grants and loans to fund projects. He listed candidate improvements such as intersection upgrades at Stevenson and Cole, citywide LED lighting, striping and rumble strips, pedestrian improvements on Porta Street, and flashing crosswalk enhancements.
Public Works committee members noted interim measures already planned: a 25 mph speed zone at Cole Street in the AutoZone area, one no-parking stall to improve sight lines and preliminary engineering drawings that show two pedestrian bulb-outs on the south side of the intersection. Committee discussion included an engineer's preliminary estimate of about $84,000 for those site treatments (not including rapid-flashing beacons on all four corners).
The council adopted Resolution 1870 by voice vote. Staff said funding has not been secured for the $21 million of identified work; rather, the plan will be used to pursue grants and other financing.
Next steps: staff will provide more detailed project budgets and pursue grant opportunities; the public and council requested follow-up on expedited site-level safety measures at Stevenson and Cole.
