Oktibbeha County supervisors are looking to install safety implements, including lighting and a traffic signal, at the intersection of Old Highway 25 and Poor House Road after multiple traffic accidents were reported in the last week.
Supervisors tasked County Engineer Clyde Pritchard with a safety study Monday and said they were interested in illuminating the area at night and installing traffic control device.
District 4 Supervisor Bricklee Miller said at least two accidents have occurred at the intersection in the past week. Oktibbeha County Fire Services Coordinator Kirk Rosenhan confirmed the incidents but did not have information on their specific times, dates or the number of injuries reported from each crash.
Rosenhan, however, did say one of the wrecks involved multiple vehicles.
“With the southern bypass opening and Longview Road getting paved, I only see the traffic increasing,” Miller said.
Supervisors discussed possible remedies, ranging from a flashing yellow-and-red light to a full traffic signal, but opted to assign Pritchard to study the intersection after board attorney Jackson Brown said a professional recommendation was needed on the matter to avoid liability issues.
A full traffic signal was part of an $80,000 infrastructure improvement project at the intersection of Montgomery and Poor House roads last year, County Administrator Emily Garrard said.
Running west, Poor House Road transitions into Longview Road, which then intersects Highway 25. That intersection also drew discussions about its own safety issues Monday.
Richard C. Ochoa, 30, of Pearl, died Saturday after he drove onto Highway 25 from Longview Road and was struck by a northbound vehicle.
He was not wearing a seatbelt and died after he was ejected from the vehicle, Oktibbeha County Coroner Michael Hunt said.
The driver of the other vehicle was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released from OCH Regional Medical Center.
“It’s not the road that’s causing problems,” Collins said. “Some [drivers] come out and get in the [right] lane, and you can get around them. But some come out and get in the left lane. If someone’s beside you, they can’t see [around your vehicle]. I’ve seen that happen several times. The only thing that’ll probably cure the problem is a four-way stop or a bridge with a speed ramp where cars can get up to speed and merge.”
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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