Friday, July 2, 2010

No fix soon for Timmerman Junction

More crashes and injuries would increase intersection’s priority


By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

There were no serious injuries when this Mountain Rides Transportation Authority commuter bus was involved in a collision on July 10, 2009, at Timmerman Junction. Authorities said the accident could have been much worse if not for the fact that all 15 people involved were wearing seatbelts. Photo by Mountain Express

Any major safety improvements to Timmerman Junction, the site of two injury accidents so far this summer, are at best five to seven years away, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.

The junction, where state Highway 75 and U.S. Highway 20 intersect south of Bellevue, was the scene of 37 traffic accidents between the years 2000 and 2009, according to ITD statistics. Forty-six people were injured in the crashes during that 10-year period, but there were no fatalities.

Yet Timmerman Junction is only ranked 25th for high-accident-frequency locations in ITD District 4, which includes all or portions of nine counties in south-central Idaho. That means there are 24 locations in the district that are higher ITD priorities for funding to improve safety.

Statewide, the junction ranks 201st for funding priority.

Ironically, Timmerman Junction would rank higher for safety improvements if there were more accidents at the intersection, more injuries or even some fatalities.

"Unfortunately, that is a true statement," said ITD spokesman Nathan Jerke.

That's not to say that something can't be done in the meantime. Jerke said an engineering study has been requested by District Engineer Devin Rigby that might identify safety improvements for the junction short of a major reconstruction project.

Meanwhile, a $2 million reconstruction project is underway at the Timmerman Junction rest area. Jerke said highway improvement and rest area reconstruction projects are funded from different pots of money and that the rest area was tabbed for reconstruction about five years ago.

Timmerman Junction is not a four-way stop. North or southbound traffic on Highway 75 can legally cruise through the intersection at 55 miles per hour. East or westbound traffic on Highway 20 is required to stop at the flashing red light and proceed across the intersection when clear.

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There have been four injury accidents at the intersection within the past year. Two people were injured in a crash on July 10, 2009, another two in an accident on Oct. 22, 2009, four more in an accident on June 8 and another four in a crash on June 17.

According to police reports, all four of the crashes were caused by someone east or westbound on Highway 20. In all four of the accidents, the driver causing the crash stopped at the intersection and then proceeded across, either not seeing traffic on Highway 75 or assuming the intersection was a four-way stop.

Warning signs stating that the intersection is not a four-way stop are posted in advance of the intersection on Highway 20. Rumble strips on either side of the intersection are also intended to get a west- or eastbound driver's attention, but some drivers apparently don't understand the configuration. In all four crashes within the past year, the driver causing the crash was not from this area and apparently not familiar with the intersection.

"Engineering factors can only do so much to improve driver error," Jerke said. "This is an intersection with a lot of bells and whistles to let people know to be cautious when crossing the intersection. It would be great if there was an overnight fix to solve all of our traffic problems."

Rigby said the engineering study might identify something else that could be done at the intersection to improve safety. A relatively minor fix could be accomplished much sooner than the five- to seven-years best-case scenario for a major reconstruction project.

But making the intersection a four-way stop, as some people have suggested, might only make matters worse, he said.

"The real issue with a four-way stop is that it is a four-way stop out in the middle of nowhere," Rigby said. "It's hard enough getting people to stop going two directions, let alone going four directions."

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com




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