Intersection Of Cedar, Smith Roads To Become Four-Way Stop: Mayor

MANHATTAN, IL — A stop sign will be added to Cedar Road at its intersection with Smith Road in Manhattan, after Manhattan officials petitioned Will County for the extra safety measure.

"Will County has granted our request for a stop sign at Cedar and Smith roads," Mayor Mike Adrieansen shared on social media. "We appreciate the county engineer approving this safety measure to keep Manhattan families safe."

The intersection has been a troublesome one for the village, with 12 accidents in the last two years, Adrieansen told Patch. North-south thoroughfare Cedar Road does not currently have a stop sign; east-west Smith Road does. The addition of stop signs on Cedar Road will make the intersection a four-way stop.

Will County Department of Transportation Project Engineer Jeff Ronaldson notified Adrieansen last week that the department's traffic counts and analysis supported the additional signs, Adrieansen said. Adrieansen pointed to a nearby school and an additional fire station as additional reasons for the signs.

" There’s going to be a lot more traffic coming," he said. "We’re happy they’re doing it."

In May, a three-car crash at the intersection resulted in minor injuries. One of the drivers involved had detoured from a crash at US 52 and Baker Road, pointing to another concern for officials. As the town's population has grown, officials said, both intersections have born the brunt of traffic into and out of town.

The sequence and location of the two crashes in May also point to the necessity of reopening Eastern Avenue from Baker to Smith roads, as another north-south corridor.

"Opening Eastern Avenue will reduce the traffic on 52, and reduce the traffic on Cedar, and if there is a situation that would cause Cedar or 52 to close, it would give at least two ways to get out of town, heading north toward New Lenox," now-retired Manhattan Police Chief Jeff Wold told Patch.

An installation date is not yet set. Signage will be placed in the area a week in advance of the work, the county said.