SCOTT: Work progressing on dangerous intersection
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By BETH ZUMWALT
Submitted photo
Work on the Woodson/Winchester Blacktop- U.S. 67 intersection is progressing. The intersection is in Morgan County. Earlier this year, a delegation of family and friends of Joel Noble and Jesse Davidsmeyer were in Springfield to present a petition to Lt. Governor Andy Menar asking that the intersection of Highway 67 and the Woodson/Winchester Blacktop be upgraded to increase safety. The petitions contained more than 3,000 names collected around Pike County. Noble and Davidsmeyer were killed at the intersection May 24 and two other Pittsfield High School students critically injured. Left to right, Abby Chamberlain, author of the preface to the petition and cousin to Davidsmeyer, Menar, Joel Noble’s parents, Jennifer and Justin Noble, Kaden Ferguson and Angie Gregor, principal at PHS. Back row, Levi Shinn, Wyatt Capps, Luke Archer, Bodine Marable, Jameson Noble, brother to Joel.
Work on the Woodson/Winchester Blacktop- U.S. 67 intersection is progressing. The intersection is in Morgan County.
According to Paul Wappel, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Transportation, IDOT officials visited the site shortly after the May 24 accident that claimed the lives of Jesse Davidsmeyer and Joel Noble and critically injured Tristyn Ruzich and Lane Foster, all students at Pittsfield High School.
Students from Pittsfield High School and other schools in the area, as well as community members signed petitions asking that the intersection be made safer. A number of serious accidents have occurred at the intersection in recent years.
The petitions asked for rumble strips, flashing lights and more mowing of vegetation near the intersection.
A delegation of students from PHS took the petitions, bearing more than 3,000 names, to Springfield and presented them to Deputy Governor Andy Manar, who was to present them to IDOT officials as well as Gov. J. B. Prtizker.
Shortly thereafter, flashing yellow lights were installed on U.S. 67 warning of the dangerous intersection. The installation was July 14.
Wappeal said maintenance crews also trimmed vegetation in the area. Additionally, the petitions asked for rumble strips to be placed on the blacktop. There are already a red flashing lighst on the east-west sides of the intersection, but, residents in the area, say they are not always working.
“We are waiting for the ISP reconstruction report so we can determine if additional safety measures are warranted,” Wappell said. “These reports do take some time to complete and finalize.”
Wappal said once the final determination is made, the findings will be made available to Pittsfield High School.
Another, less serious accident, occurred at the intersection, July 31. A woman was transported to an area hospital with minor-moderate injuries after her SUV was hit by a semi.
