LED flashing stop signs installed at dangerous SH-33 intersection

The first step in traffic improvements, along State Highway 33 at Broadway, have been put in place with more measures on the way in hopes of cutting down vehicle crashes.

Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) installed two flashing LED stop signs at the intersection for north and southbound traffic on Broadway on May 26.

City of Guthrie officials, along with State Rep. Garry Mize and Senator Chuck Hall, met with ODOT Division 4 Engineer Trenton January on March 26 — following a rash of fatality crashes — to remedy a solution not only for the Broadway intersection but other high-impact intersections.

“We aren’t just here to respond to emergencies after they happen,” Fire Chief Eric Harlow said. “We will always work to try and prevent these types of tragedies through teamwork and cooperation.”

January spoke to the Logan County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) about the intersection at the March 31 BOCC board meeting.

With the flashing LED (light-emitting diode) stop signs, January said ODOT plans to add back the raised rumble strips at the approach of the intersection. Additional rumble strips will be white so motorists can not only feel the strips, but see them as well as they approach the intersection.

The transportation department recently completed a survey of the area and will begin to look at the feasibility of adding left and right turn lanes at the Broadway intersection.

“Drivers today bring way too many distractions into their vehicles,” District 1 County Commissioner Marven Goodman said. “These flashing traffic control sighs are a very good start to help redirect the attention of distracted drivers. The best way to avoid an accident here is to stop behind the stop bar and look both ways, twice.”

As funding becomes available, ODOT is making plans to add rumble strips to the center line of SH-33 beginning from SH-74.

“(The turn lanes will) help get that traffic out of the travel way so people who are coming from Guthrie, or coming east into Guthrie aren’t having to abruptly stop,” January said.