Traffic signal’s future unclear

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GREENFIELD — It will likely be 30 days or longer before a stoplight on State Road 9 in downtown Greenfield is fixed.

An accident in mid-January at the intersection of State Road 9 and North Street damaged the traffic lights on both streets.

Since then, traffic in the area has been controlled by stop signs on North Street, and INDOT officials said they’ll make a decision in the next 30 days as to whether the stoplights will be replaced.

“INDOT and city of Greenfield are working together to evaluate safety and congestion at the intersection. A determination will be made within the next 30 days on the best solution for the intersection and area,” Indiana Department of Transportation spokesman LaMar Holliday wrote in an email to the Daily Reporter.

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The Indiana Department of Transportation oversees maintenance of State Road 9 and would be responsible for fixing the light. While the city can weigh in on the conversation, it has no control, said street commissioner Tyler Rankins.

Just north of U.S. 40, the intersection is one of Greenfield’s busiest.

Some 12,000 vehicles — including semitrailers — travel near the intersection daily, INDOT traffic counts show.

Comparatively, about 23,000 travel State Road 9 near its intersection with New Road.

Following the accident, the city installed temporary stop signs to control traffic in the area. Then, INDOT put up permanent signs, said street commissioner Tyler Rankins.

During a recent traffic safety meeting, city stakeholders agreed the light needs to be fixed, Rankins said.

State Road 9 near U.S. 40 already gets congested throughout the day. With the stoplight out, drivers on North Street have to yield to State Road 9 traffic.

Now, North Street is getting congested, and drivers are having a hard time turning onto State Road 9, Rankins said.

“We’re just waiting. Kind of like everyone else,” he said.

A post on the Daily Reporter’s Facebook page generated more than 100 comments, with a majority of commenters saying traffic flows better on State Road 9 without the light. The distance between the signal at North Street and the one at U.S. 40 is about 350 feet, and the area is prone to heavy traffic. Without the light at North Street, cars flow faster, commenters said.

But others — particularly those with homes and businesses surrounding the intersection — said the traffic signal is necessary if drivers on either side of North Street are going to safely turn onto State Road 9.