September 15, 2017
East Texas Baptist University President Blair Blackburn has asked Texas Department of Transportation officials for an addition of a traffic signal light at the intersections of Loop 390 and FM 154 in Marshall to help increase safety for drivers, he said on Tuesday.
TxDOT officials on Tuesday agreed to begin a study of the intersection, which is required by law before any type of traffic control action can be taken, Blackburn said.
TxDOT's Atlanta district is handling the survey and plans to begin next week, he said.
"This is a dangerous intersection," Blackburn said on Tuesday. "We have had several students injured in accidents at this intersection just in the last year."
Blackburn also plans to submit a resolution, asking for support for the signal, to the Marshall City commissioners at their meeting at 6 p.m. today at Marshall City Hall.
"Motorists on the east side of Loop 390 on Van Zandt Avenue/FM 154, who attempt to enter onto Loop 390 have a difficulty in visible southern and northern sight clearances due to the rise in slope to the south and the sharp curve and wooded right-of-way to the north. The situation presents a blind situation for the motorists facing west on Van Zandt Avenue," Blackburn wrote in a letter to TxDOT.
There have been several deaths, injuries and vehicles damaged in crashes at the intersection throughout the past several years, he said.
The News Messenger requested a Crash Analysis Report of the intersection from Jan. 1, 2010 through Tuesday from TxDOT in Austin on Tuesday.
TxDOT Atlanta District Public Information Officer Marcus Sandifer said on Tuesday that the study required before any action can be taken at the intersection could take a few weeks to complete.
"Anytime a request for a signal is made, we contact our engineer for that area," Sandifer said. "The first thing that must be done is a traffic study because we have certain rules and regulations we must follow - we cannot put in traffic signals indiscriminately."
Sandifer said during the study, certain justifications or "warrants" must be met for a traffic control action to be ordered.
"These warrants are set on the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices," Sandifer said. "First we do a traffic count on the major and minor highway involved. We look to see if there is any pedestrian activity, the number of school children who cross the intersection on foot, we obtain a crash history and we look to determine if there would be any delays to the existing traffic flow if a signal were put in."
Sandifer said sometimes, a signal isn't warranted and could even cause more harm.
"We look at the speed of traffic approaching the intersection and the size of the community," he said. "Sometimes, if traffic is used to going through there without stopping and suddenly a signal is installed and they are required to stop, it could cause more collisions and cars rear-ending others."
Sandifer said once the study is completed, the engineering team makes a determination about the best course of action and if additional traffic control is warranted.
In the meantime, Blackburn is hoping to drum up support for the traffic signal.
"This intersection is highly traveled, serving as one of the major access points by ETBU students, staff, faculty and guests to reach the university campus from the west," Blackburn wrote.
Blackburn said athletic teams and groups traveling to the university are forced to use the intersection because they can't fit under the train overpass on Grove Street.
"Due to the low height of the Texas Pacific Railroad Bridge on FM 1997 off of State Highway 80 in Marshall, Van Zandt Avenue/FM 154 from Loop 390 is the only western and southern routes to the ETBU campus for any vehicle over 10 ft. 9 in. high," he wrote.
"The safety of our campus community, guests, fellow Marshall/Harrison County citizens, and other travelers through our wonderful city in the TxDOT Atlanta District is a major concern, which we believe deserves immediate remedy with the installation of a traffic signal system."