Friday, September 6, 2024
By John Faucher
State Rep. Dave Murphy is calling for action at the intersection of State Highway 15 and Hyacinth Lane in Greenville.
The intersection is located on Greenville Drive (Hwy 15) approximately 4 miles east of Hortonville and 0.2 miles west of the intersection with State Highway 76 in Greenville.
Murphy and others say this has long been a dangerous intersection.
On Monday July 8, Murphy sent a letter to Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson requesting the installation of a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at a crosswalk at the intersection.
The letter follows an open records request filed with the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office by Murphy on June 26.
Murphy requested copies of all records involving the intersection of State 15 and Hyacinth Lane from Janu. 1, 2021 to June 26, 2024.
Sheriff’s records show more than 130 incidents have been logged at the intersection during that time.
A majority of those incidents are listed as involving traffic stops. There are a number of reckless driving, traffic safety complaints and accidents listed.
There were 60 incidents overall logged in 2021, 37 incidents in 2022, 34 in 2023 and six so far this year.
The most recent incident on June 13, involved a boy on his bicycle being struck by a motorist in the crosswalk.
The crosswalk connects Greenville Community Park on the south side of State 15, to a business and residential district on the north side.
“This has long been a dangerous intersection,” Murphy said in his letter to Thompson.
“Making the danger worse, there is a Subway and an ice cream shop on one side of Hwy 15 and a busy park on the other side. This draws children back and forth across the highway frequently,” Murphy wrote.
“As someone who lives very close by I know how dangerous this intersection is,” he added.
According to WisDOT, RRFBs’ consist of two, rectangular-shaped yellow indications, each with a light-emitting diode (LED)-array-based light source.
RRFB’s flash with an alternating high frequency when activated to enhance conspicuity of pedestrians at the crossing to drivers.
The lights are pedestrian actuated.
In his request to Secretary Thompson, Murphy noted that the incident with the boy cyclists hit in June, could have been avoided if the lights were installed.
According to WisDOT, RRFBs can increase motorist yielding rates up to 98% and reduce pedestrian crashes up to 47%.
“Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons are proven safety countermeasures. The increase in safety by the installation of an RRFB at this intersection far outweighs the minimal cost to the DOT,” said Murphy.
He asked for their installation at the intersection with “all due speed.”
