MACON TWP. — In the wake of a Labor Day wreck that killed four people, the Lenawee County Road Commission has made several changes to the intersection of Milwaukee Road and Britton Highway in Macon Township.
The changes were made based on the recommendations of a traffic engineer who was hired to perform a safety evaluation after the crash. They are:
- On Milwaukee Road, where there used to be a single stop sign in each direction, there are now two stop signs in each direction, one on each side of the road.
- Those stop signs now have reflective posts and yellow “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop” signs beneath them.
- Each Milwaukee Road approach now has rumble strips as drivers near the intersection.
- Each Milwaukee Road approach also has “Stop Ahead” warning signs with reflective posts.
The traffic engineer conducted video monitoring at the intersection and found that the majority of drivers on Milwaukee Road did not come to a complete stop at the intersection.
“It’s amazing the number of cars that were rolling through the stop sign,” road commission managing director Scott Merillat said.
Of the 204 eastbound vehicles on Milwaukee Road during the study period, 54 made a legal stop, 146 made a rolling stop, and four vehicles did not stop. Of 207 westbound vehicles, 97 vehicles made a legal stop, 109 made a rolling stop, and one did not stop.
The Sept. 4 crash happened when the driver of an eastbound pickup truck ran the stop sign and struck another pickup that was southbound on Britton Highway. All four occupants of the second pickup, who were employees of K&B Asphalt Sealcoating traveling between job sites, were killed.
The investigation into the crash is being handled by the Michigan State Police.
