Dangerous Route 136 intersection to get two more stop signs
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
A view to the east along Route 136 where it intersects with Brownlee Road in Somerset Township
Observer-Reporter
In this file photo, emergency personnel tend to victims of a two-vehicle accident at Route 136 and Brownlee Road in Somerset Township on April 24, 2008. Five died in the crash.
Two additional stop signs will be added to a dangerous intersection along Route 136 where five people were killed in a crash more than a decade ago in Somerset Township.
The state Department of Transportation will be adding stop signs in both directions of Route 136 at Brownlee Road, where many other accidents have taken place over the years.
“This is a very unique location,” said Joe Szczur, PennDOT’s district executive.
“Everyone who drives through there knows the challenges,” Szczur said.
The deadliest crash in decades in Washington County happened there April 24, 2008, when a large van carrying group home residents pulled out from Brownlee into the path of a tractor-trailer traveling east on Route 136. Five people were killed and seven others were injured in the crash.
Modifications to Route 136 were later made to increase visibility at the intersection and slow down traffic.
Szczur said PennDOT worked closely with state police on the plan to install stop signs on Route 136 at the intersection on July 31.
“The intersection is peculiar, and we’re confident this is the right decision,” he said.
Message boards will be placed at the approaches this week alerting motorist to the new stop signs that will add to the existing ones on Brownlee.
Szczur said traffic has been steadily increasing on Brownlee to the point where it is surpassing that on Route 136.
A flashing beacon may also be added there, he said.