We have received additional details from the county on steps that are currently being taken to avert additional crashes at the intersection of Citrus Way and 98. County Engineer, Mark Guttman explained that they will be installing rumble strips north and south of US 98 on Citrus Way as well as 48″ stop signs. Currently vehicles traveling east and west have a yellow flashing light, while Citrus Way vehicles have a red flashing light and stop sign. There is also a warning device installed for the upcoming stop on Citrus Way.
The county is also restriping the road to conform better with the angle of the intersection. As of Monday, August 1, 2016 the restriping has been completed. These changes are part of the 491 resurfacing project.
The restriping issue was brought before the commission in November 2009 for discussion. From the minutes of the November 17, 2009 meeting, County Engineer Charles Mixson stated DOT had approved the County’s request to restripe some portions of the intersection. The Public Works Department asked FDOT to approve restriping from a 52 to 80 degree angle. The images from an informational packet provided to the BOCC in 2009 depicts the visibility improvement that results from approaching the intersection at an 80 degree angle.
At the time Commissioner Adkins supported the installation of a traffic signal and a road realignment.
In January 2016, following the July 2015 crash killing 5, the Department of Public Works submitted a request for bids for the resurfacing project. On March 22, the bid was awarded to Goodwin Bros. Construction for $860,867.92. According to the contract, the work was to be completed within 45 days following the Notice to Proceed.
The FDOT examined whether or not the intersection warrants the installation of a traffic signal in 2009 as well as in 2015, after the crash killing 5.
One requirement the FDOT looks at is turning movement counts. An FDOT email to the Mark Guttman and Assistant County Administrator Brian Malmberg, explained that the required volume of turning movement is 420 cars per hour “for each of 8 hours traveling along a major street.” The volume required is “based on standards set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), a publication by the Federal Highway Administration that is adopted by Florida statutes as the guide for all issues concerning traffic signals…” The FDOT conducted turning movement counts at the intersection in 2015 and found 244 to 317 vehicles per hour, which does not meet their criteria. The criteria was not met in 2009 either.
The email also mentioned another factor that FDOT considers for installing a traffic light; whether “if in a 12 month period there are five or more crashes of a type that might be prevented by installing a signal.” Between January 1, 2013 and July 2015 the FDOT found “an average of 4 correctible (sic) crashes (angle crashes) occurring at the vicinity of the intersection.”
In August 2015 FDOT found while analyzing the crash data that several crashes occurred because vehicles ran the stop sign on Citrus Way North of 98.
At this date, the 48″ stop sign and rumble strips have not yet been installed. These measures aim to decrease the number of vehicles traveling on Citrus Way that run through the red flashing light and stop sign.
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Editor’s Note: The Associated Press article we ran last week indicated John Stevenson was driving south on Citrus Way, when in fact he was heading north. According to the police report, Stevenson “attempted to travel across the intersection to continue to travel northbound on CR-491.” The Chevrolet Silverado driven by Stevenson “traveled directly into the path” of the garbage truck.