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Florida Highway Intersection Gets Safety Upgrades After Multiple Wrecks In Fog
March 26, 2019
There have been safety upgrades at a dangerous Alabama intersection that has seen several serious wrecks.
As Highway 99 heads north from Bratt and out of Escambia County, FL, into Alabama, the name changes to Florida Highway. Two miles later, Florida Highway terminates with a stop sign at Highway 31.
Escambia County (AL) crews recently installed rumble strips on Florida Highway to warn drivers of the upcoming intersection. There was already a stop ahead sign in place.
A few weeks ago, a Century woman was seriously injured when she missed the stop sign in dense fog and crossed Highway 31. Her pickup landed on its side across railroad tracks that are below road level and parallel to Highway 31. It’s one of several wrecks that have occurred when drivers missed the end of the road in thick fog.
“When it is foggy, you can be at the end of the road before you know it,” Escambia County (AL) Commissioner Brandon Smith said recently. “So far we’ve been very fortunate. One day a vehicle is going to get broadsided by a log truck, or one day it is going to be a car load of kids.”
“But drivers lose track of where they are on the road. It just has big open fields on both sides, so drivers are at the end before they realize it,” Smith said. “If the changes save just one life, it will be worth it.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
8 Responses to “Florida Highway Intersection Gets Safety Upgrades After Multiple Wrecks In Fog”
I understand the point of these but they could be less violent it’s like you are going through the woods doing 100 when you come up on them I have to slow down to about 30mph (and I’m 16 (that’s a rare speed)) so I don’t shake my peanut sized brain out my ear. And they are so far from it after you get through em you gotta speed up from 30mph to reach the stop sign before the car behind you hits you.
You’re looking at the grill of a GMC pickup
truck. It is traveling in the correct lane.
Also, exacerbating the problem, the stop sign is kind of around the corner and not really facing directly down the road. Not only is it not as noticeable, the reflective properties of the sign do not work nearly as well when your lights hit it at an angle.
A flashing light at the end of that road would be very nice but will never happen because there are not even power lines in that area, so no power available for the light…
Master Mechanic, nothing solves the problem. Hopefully will make it better.
>>Look at this picture good and you will see the vehicle is totally bypassing the rumble strips by driving on the wrong side of the road
I know it’s hard to tell in the smaller version of this picture with the story, but the vehicle is coming toward the camera. It’s not bypassing the strips. Nobody ever does that, right?
A flashing light would help as well to let drivers know the stop sign is close.
Look at this picture good and you will see the vehicle is totally bypassing the rumble strips by driving on the wrong side of the road. When fog is present and vehicles do this there will be a head on crash on County Road 8 (Alabama side.)
Now install Stop ahead sign beside first set of speed bumps laced with high density red lights & problem solved.