Dangerous Intersection Focus of Grant Request
Vol. III, No. 133 - City of Piqua asks Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission for Funding for Farrington/Washington Intersection
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The deadly crash that claimed a Greenville man’s life this spring wasn’t just another statistic. It was a reminder that one of the most dangerous intersections in Miami County isn’t getting better and with new development on the horizon, this intersection could become even more dangerous. Now, the City of Piqua is doing something about the dangerous Washington Road and Farrington Road intersection that has claimed lives and injured families for years.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
This intersection is ranked 66th on Ohio’s most dangerous rural intersections list. That’s not a ranking any community wants. Between 2012 and 2024, this spot saw 49 crashes. Nearly one-third of those crashes hurt people. Two-thirds caused property damage.
The most troubling patterns show up in the crash types. Angle crashes happen when cars slam into each other at the intersection. These crashes make up 36.7% of all incidents here - way higher than Ohio’s average of 29.64%. Left turn crashes are even worse, representing 24.5% of incidents compared to the state average of just 8.95%.
Weather makes everything worse. More than one-third of crashes happen when roads are wet or icy. When you’re traveling 55 mph on both roads with no safety features beyond basic stop signs, bad weather turns fender-benders into tragedies.
Why This Intersection Kills
The current setup creates a perfect set-up for disaster. Farrington Road drivers must stop and wait for gaps in 55 mph traffic on Washington Road. That means split-second decisions about whether it’s safe to go. Too often, drivers guess wrong.
The intersection has no modern safety features. No raised pavement markers. No rumble strips. No guardrails. No lighting. Just stop signs that drivers approaching at highway speeds often don’t see until it’s too late.
The March crash that killed the Greenville man shows exactly how this happens. He was wearing his seatbelt. He wasn’t speeding or impaired. He simply failed to yield at the stop sign and was struck by a pickup truck traveling north on Washington Road. Good people making normal human errors shouldn’t die because of bad intersection design.
Three Solutions on the Table
Recently a feasibility study was completed by the County Engineer and the Ohio Departmetn of Transportation. Together, the engineers studied three realistic options to fix this intersection. Each takes a different approach to the problem.
The Quick Fix: All-Way Stop Control costs just $24,000 and could start tomorrow. Every approach would get a stop sign, forcing all traffic to stop before entering the intersection. This would prevent 2.464 crashes per year and deliver an incredible return on investment with a benefit-cost ratio of 50.70.
The problem? Washington Road drivers aren’t used to stopping. They travel uninterrupted for over two miles in either direction. Some might not expect the new stop signs.
The Big Solution: Single-Lane Roundabout costs $3.386 million but offers the best long-term safety improvements. Roundabouts force all traffic to slow down and follow controlled movement patterns. This design would prevent 2,041 crashes per year and dramatically reduce fatal and serious injury crashes.
The trade-off is not only cost (over $3,3 million), but it would be a major construction disruption. The intersection would close for 90 days while crews build the 130-foot diameter roundabout. Nearly one acre of land would need to be purchased from nearby property owners.
The Middle Ground: Turn Lanes costs $2.375 million and addresses rear-end crashes on the southbound approach. This option is estimated to prevent 1.624 crashes per year but doesn’t fix the main problem - cars failing to yield when entering the intersection.
Piqua Steps Up
Recent developments show Piqua is serious about fixing this deadly intersection. Recent annexations to the city, and the planned development that will go with them, The city has now adopted a resolution to apply for grant funding through the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission for intersection improvements.
The Path Forward
The smart move could be implementing the all-way stop control immediately while pursuing funding for the roundabout. This two-phase approach provides immediate crash reduction while working toward the best long-term solution.
The March fatal crash proved this intersection can’t wait for perfect solutions. Every day of delay means more families at risk. Piqua’s decision to seek grant funding shows a degree of leadership that puts public safety first.
This intersection has hurt too many families already. The City of Piqua now has the data, the solutions, and the funding pathway to make Washington Road and Farrington Road safe. The only question left is how quickly they can act.
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4 way stop signs, with 4 temp yellow flashing signs.