Road Work to Prevent Fatalities in Genesee County

GENESEE COUNTY – The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced on Thursday their plans to enhance traffic signage at the intersection of Route 20 and East Road in the town of Bethany.

The NYSDOT originally planned to install a roundabout at the intersection, but the community rejected the idea. The new plan is for contractors from the Power and Construction Group of Scottsville to replace the current flashing traffic signal light, and install stop signs with flashing LED bulbs. Construction will begin next week and continue into September. The intent is to reduce the fatality rate at this intersection, which in past years has been quite high.

“Between 2004 and 2010 there were 15 accidents at that intersection, 3 of them fatal,” said Lori Maher, spokesperson for the NYSDOT. “We’ve had a lot of injury and property damage at that intersection.”

Contractors will install two new poles, boxing in the intersection. Wires from the poles will support a new caution light, which will flash yellow for drivers on Route 20 and red for those on East Road, indicating that drivers should stop and yield to traffic on Route 20.

The NYSDOT will also install LED illuminated stop signs for both approaches to 20A on East Road. Each point on the octagonal signs will have a small blinking bulb, making the signs extra visible at night. Once installed, the signs will be unique in Western New York’s seven-county DOT region.

The NYSDOT says that most jobs, like installing the poles, foundations, signs, and electrical work, will be done along on the side of the highway and will cause minimal disturbance to traffic.