Lima, Ohio – Drivers traveling through several communities in northwest Ohio will soon notice new stop signs and flashing warnings as part of a safety initiative aimed at reducing serious crashes. The Ohio Department of Transportation District 1 announced plans to convert eight intersections to all-way stops, a change designed to reduce severe collisions and improve safety for motorists across the region.
The project is scheduled to begin in March and is part of a broader statewide effort to introduce all-way stops at select intersections where crash patterns show a clear need for improved traffic control. According to ODOT, the chosen locations were identified after reviewing crash data that revealed many incidents occurred when drivers failed to stop or yield to cross-traffic that did not have a stop requirement.
“These intersections have a higher rate of angle crashes, which often result in serious injuries or fatalities,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “Our goal is zero fatalities. When all approaches are expected to stop, crash severity is significantly reduced,” he said.
Locations and timeline for changes
The conversion work will take place over approximately three months, with crews installing new signage and safety equipment at scheduled intervals.
March 9
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Defiance County — State Route 18 (Defiance Avenue) and U.S. 127 (Harrison Street) in the village of Sherwood
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Wyandot County — U.S. 23 and State Route 199 interchange ramps in the city of Upper Sandusky
April 6
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Hancock County — State Route 330 and State Route 568 and County Road 330 near the village of Vanlue
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Hancock County — State Route 613 and Township Road 142 near the village of Van Buren
May 4
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Paulding County — State Route 613 and State Route 637 near the village of Melrose
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Putnam County — State Route 108 and State Route 613 near the village of Miller City
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Putnam County — State Route 109 and State Route 613 near the village of West Leipsic
Electronic message boards will be installed about two weeks before each conversion to alert motorists of the upcoming changes. These boards will remain in place for roughly two weeks afterward to remind drivers of the new traffic pattern. In addition, flashing stop-ahead warning signs will be installed on all approaches to help drivers adjust to the new requirement to stop.
ODOT officials say the agency will continue monitoring the intersections after the changes are implemented to ensure traffic moves safely and the new controls function as intended.
Proven safety improvements
The move toward all-way stops follows safety successes in other states. Transportation agencies have found that requiring vehicles from every direction to stop can significantly reduce the severity of collisions, particularly angle crashes that often result in serious injury.
Since 2018, North Carolina converted more than 500 intersections from two-way stops to all-way stops. An analysis of 348 locations found a 100 percent reduction in fatal crashes and a 95 percent reduction in crashes causing serious injuries. Similar safety improvements were also reported in Delaware.
ODOT continues to review intersections across Ohio to identify locations where all-way stops could improve safety. By addressing crash patterns and increasing driver awareness, officials hope the changes will reduce severe collisions and move closer to the state’s goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.
