New Philadelphia, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Transportation is moving forward with a statewide safety effort that will change dozens of intersections into all-way stops after studies from other states showed dramatic reductions in deadly and serious crashes.
Transportation officials announced that 77 intersections across Ohio have been selected for conversion from traditional two-way stop intersections into all-way stops over the next two years. The project is part of a larger strategy aimed at improving driver safety and reducing severe accidents at dangerous crossings.
ODOT officials pointed to successful results in other states that have already made similar changes. Since 2018, officials in North Carolina converted more than 500 intersections from two-way stops to all-way stop control systems.
According to the analysis conducted there, 348 evaluated intersections showed a 100% reduction in fatal crashes and a 95% reduction in crashes involving serious injuries after the conversions were completed. Officials also said similar improvements were reported in Delaware.
Eastern Ohio Intersections Scheduled For Changes
Several locations in eastern Ohio have already been identified for the safety upgrades. Drivers traveling through those areas will soon begin seeing warning signs and new traffic patterns.
One planned conversion will happen May 18 in Columbiana County at the intersection of State Route 558 and State Route 164 southeast of Leetonia.
Another conversion is scheduled for June 1 in Holmes County at the intersection of State Route 515 and County Road 168, located about three miles north of Walnut Creek.
A third intersection will be converted June 15 in Carroll County at State Route 171 and Avalon Road, roughly 3.5 miles west of State Route 43.
ODOT officials noted that eastern Ohio has already seen some of these changes completed in recent years. In 2024, the intersection of State Route 93 and State Route 516 in Dundee in Tuscarawas County was converted to an all-way stop. Another conversion was completed in 2025 at the intersection of State Route 151 and State Route 212 in Bowerston in Harrison County.
To help drivers adjust, ODOT said warning signs announcing the changes will be installed roughly two weeks before each conversion takes place. Those signs will remain in place for about 30 days after the changes are completed to remind motorists about the updated traffic flow.
Officials also said all approaches to the intersections will feature dual Stop Ahead warning signs to improve visibility and driver awareness.
ODOT plans to continue monitoring the intersections after the conversions are made to ensure the new all-way stop systems are operating safely and effectively. Transportation leaders hope the changes will help prevent severe crashes and save lives on Ohio roadways in the years ahead.
