The Washington State Department of Transportation is looking at possible safety improvements at a dangerous high speed intersection near Pullman where the agency took down a blinking caution light.
WSDOT removed the light at the intersection of U.S. Highway 195 and State Route 194 on the West edge of town in early September. The regional agency spokesman told Pullman Radio News that the light was removed because it was at the end of its life span and there was no money to replace it. He also added that WSDOT engineers determined that the light wasn’t needed as they found there is enough sight distance at the intersection. The light blinked yellow for North South traffic on US195 and red for East West drivers on SR194/Old Wawawai Road.
There has been strong push back locally to WSDOT’s removal of the light. That’s led by the volunteer fire department based out of Pullman that’s responsible for responding to crashes at the intersection.
Whitman County Fire District 12 Commissioners sent WSDOT, local state legislators and Congressman Michael Baumgartner a letter asking that the light to be re-installed. The volunteers point out that the light went up years ago after several people died at the intersection. They also note that there were no serious injury or fatal crashes for many years at the intersection when the light was up.
The director of the Palouse Regional Transportation Planning Organization met with WSDOT’s Eastern Regional Administrator and staff to discuss the concerns. Rebecca Couch sent an email to D12 regarding that meeting. D12 officials provided the email to Pullman Radio News.
Director Rebecca Couch tells the volunteers that WSDOT will consider possible safety enhancements at the intersection including the reflectivity and size of the signs and potentially adding a second “Stop Ahead” sign on SR194.
