NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. — Changes are coming aimed at making a dangerous intersection in Niagara County safer.
Niagara County Legislator Mike Hill said the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) Traffic Group has finished a safety evaluation regarding the intersection of Rt. 77 and Griswold St. in the Town of Royalton.
The intersection has been the site of numerous serious accidents, including a fatal crash back in November, 2020 that killed a Machias mother and her young daughter.
“Our entire community was shaken by the horrific accident last year, so I immediately began working with our Public Works team to see if we could get the state DOT to take action,” said Hill. “And we were just notified they have agreed with us and will be making several initial safety improvements.”
Immediate improvements are expected to be made in the next 30 days and include upgrading “stop” and “stop ahead” signs on Griswold St. and adding reflective stripes to sign posts. Intersection warning signs will be upgraded on Lewiston Rd. and sign posts will have reflected stripes added. Flashing beacons will be added to the intersection sometime next year.
“I appreciate the immediate steps DOT is taking by highlighting the stop signs and intersection warnings, as incoming traffic’s failure to stop at Griswold is a significant source of the problem,” said Hill. “The flashing beacons will also be key to making the intersection much safer.”
