Murrysville council will consider whether to convert a troublesome intersection into a four-way stop.
With the intersection’s current two stop signs, the crossing of School Road and North Hills Road has been the site of 14 crashes over the past five years, according to Murrysville Chief Administrator Michael Nestico.
“Five of those have been angle crashes, and the traffic study we undertook in October meets the need for a multiway stop there,” Nestico said.
An angle crash is more often referred to as a “T-bone” collision, when one vehicle crashes into the side of another.
Nestico said the traffic study concluded that despite the statistics, drivers had adequate sight distance for the posted 35-mph speed limit — as well as for the 85th-percentile speed of 43 mph.
“I’ve lived here all my life, and it’s pretty speedy coming down through there,” Councilman Mac McKenna said.
North of Route 22, School Road traverses a series of sizable hills and curves, weaving through several neighborhoods with only side-street stop signs controlling traffic.
“In my time here, this intersection has been quite a topic as it relates to speeding,” Nestico said. “The community, many times, has expressed interest in a multiway stop here, and it’s warranted by the study.”
If council moves ahead with those plans, Nestico said the municipality will install stop signs and all-way plaques in addition to “Stop Ahead” signs 260 feet from the new stop signs. Temporary yellow flashers would be installed on the “Stop Ahead” signs, with red ones on the new stop signs.
“PennDOT recommends you keep them there a minimum of 30 days, but it would probably make sense to keep them there longer as the community gets used to the change,” Nestico said.
Council voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance changing the intersection’s traffic controls. A potential vote will come at a future meeting.
Council meets next at 7 p.m. March 4 at the municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road in Murrysville. An agenda is posted in advance at Murrysville.com.
