HOWELL – Municipal officials are planning to install high-visibility, solar powered LED (light-emitting diode) stop signs at intersections where a significant number of accidents occur.
On May 15, Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro said Jim Herrman, who is Howell’s director of community development, is working with the Howell Police Department and the Department of Public Works to improve the intersections where accidents are occurring at a higher rate than at other locations.
“The police department has done an analysis of the intersections with the highest crash rates and (they are) working with the DPW to see what size signs are needed, how many, that kind of thing,” Township Manager Brian Geoghegan said.
Nicastro thanked municipal officials for fast-tracking the project.
“This is something I did request to have in the budget. I will also say this, I am shocked, really shocked, because when people tell you where (they think) the accidents are, the data just does not support it,” Nicastro said.
He said it will be important for officials to relay accident data to the public.
Officials will attempt to determine if having an LED stop sign in place would have helped to prevent an accident or whether an accident would have occurred regardless of the type of stop sign that was in place.
“Every intersection is important, but we are going to do these by priority,” Nicastro said.
Seven intersections have been identified as priorities by the DPW.
The intersection of Maxim-Southard and Oak Glen roads had the most accidents in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2015 there were nine collisions, in 2016 there were six collisions and in 2017 there were 14 collisions, according to information provided by municipal officials.
Officials reported that at the intersection of Newtons Corner and Lakewood-Allenwood roads, there were five collisions in 2015, six collisions in 2016 and nine collisions in 2017.
Other intersections that have been identified as priorities are: Easy Street and Newtons Corner Road; West Farms and Fort Plains roads; Maxim-Southard and Lanes Mill roads; Georgia Tavern Road, Windeler Road and Frederick Avenue; and Georgia Tavern and Lemon/Peskin roads.
Nicastro spoke about the project following the meeting and said, “As part of our initiative to make our streets safer and improve the condition of our roads, we already started things like digital speed displays that have already been installed (around town). These solar-powered flashing LED traffic control devices are part of that goal.”
He said the data will determine which intersections receive the LED stop signs.