IDOT to begin study of Poplar and state Route 13

Traffic accidents at high speed intersections are piling up in the Harrisburg area.

According to Harrisburg Police Chief Bob Smith at 4:54 p.m. Friday, March 14 a two-vehicle collision at West Polar Street and state Route 13 sent a Harrisburg woman to the hospital with injuries.

Brittany L. Williams, 23, Harrisburg was driving a 2003 Ford Taurus south on Poplar Street attempting to cross the first two lanes of state Route 13 westbound traffic. Williams pulled out in front of a 2002 Chevy Tahoe sport-utility vehicle driving by Faye A. Franklin, Albion, and Franklin's vehicle struck the driver's side door of Williams' vehicle, Smith said.

Williams' vehicle came to rest in the center median. Harrisburg firefighters responded and cut Williams free from her vehicle.

This was the fifth collision in four weeks at that intersection; one of which involved a fatality. Frances Brugger, 64, Junction, died of complications of a brain injury suffered March 4 in a traffic accident at West Poplar Street and state Route 13 in Harrisburg.

Smith said Monday after requests from the city and the Saline County Sheriff's Office, Illinois Department of Transportation was to begin the process of conducting a traffic safety study Monday morning.

This is the second time the request will have been made to IDOT by the city and the first request, started under former Mayor Eric Gregg, was denied during Crank's tenure.

"If I could put the stoplight in myself I would be out there digging tomorrow," said Smith. "But there is a procedure that you have to go through."

IDOT in the past has said traffic lights are not needed at the intersection; that speeding is the main cause of accidents.

"I have learned from Representative Brandon Phelps, today, that IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) will be begin a study of the intersection," said Sheriff Keith Brown, in a prepared release. "This has been a joint effort between the Saline County Sheriff's Office and the Harrisburg Police Department to have the intersection reviewed for additional safety features to reduce accidents."

Also on Friday an accident at 8:15 p.m. at U.S. Route 45 and Feazel Street caused injury. The details of the accident were not available at press time. The incident was handled by the Harrisburg Police Department and Harrisburg firefighters also stood by as a gas leak was reported.