WALTON, Ky. — Concerns over the safety of U.S. Route 42 and Beaver Road grew louder following a deadly crash near the intersection on Tuesday.
Per the Boone County Sheriff's Office, over the last five years — excluding Tuesday's collision — 24 incidents have occurred at the intersection. Of those, 14 have led to injury, and two were fatal.
"There's been too many fatalities, too many wrecks, too many cars going over the embankment," Patricia Goodman, who lives next to the intersection, said. "There should be something that should be done."
WATCH: Here's what is being done about a fatal crash in Boone County on Tuesday and how residents are reacting:
More than a dozen of you commented on our Facebook post about it Tuesday and seem to agree.
One person commented, "That intersection is so dangerous (in my opinion). It always has been. I hope the city realizes and does something about it!"
Another wrote, "That is definitely a bad intersection! Traffic flies down the hill all the time. Very little if any time to react!"
Have other traffic concerns? I'd like to hear from you! You can email me at connor.steffen@wcpo.com.
We shared those concerns with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials, who said in a statement, "(Tuesday's) crash is tragic and our hearts go out to those involved and their loved ones. "
"The Transportation Cabinet will continue to study future safety needs, including performing a traffic signal study which has been requested by Boone County Judge/Executive Gary W. Moore," the statement read.
KYTC officials also provided us with a list of improvements crews have made to the intersection recently:
- Relocated intersection warning beacons with reflective properties to increase visibility
- Installed oversized stop signs at the intersection
- Removed some shrubs and tree branches to improve sight distance
- Completed high friction surface treatment on U.S. Route 42
"They did put up the flashing lights, which has helped tremendously," Goodman said. "And they did put up a guardrail, which has helped."
Additional patrols will monitor the intersection in the coming weeks and months, a spokesperson with the Boone County Sheriff's Office said.
"Goes to show how life is so precious and how it can be gone in the twinkling of the eye," said Goodman, who has lived in the same house near the intersection for most of her life.
Here is the full statement from KYTC spokesperson Jake Ryle:
"(Tuesday's) crash is tragic and our hearts go out to those involved and their loved ones. Team Kentucky prioritizes safety for all roadway users and Transportation Cabinet staff routinely review crash data to guide safety improvements. The intersection of U.S. 42 and Beaver Road (KY 338) has been reviewed by engineers in the past and multiple improvements were made, including the relocation of intersection warning beacons with reflective backplates to optimize visibility, oversized stop signs, clearing the right of way last summer to improve sight distance, and high friction surface treatment on U.S. 42 that is shown to reduce wet crashes by 83%, and total crashes by 57%, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
A speed study was performed on U.S. 42, and the data indicated a 55 miles-per-hour speed is appropriate for this rural section of roadway. The Transportation Cabinet will continue to study future safety needs, including performing a traffic signal study which has been requested by Boone County Judge/Executive Gary W. Moore."
