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Brownsburg to address dangerous intersection

Posted at 8:01 PM, Feb 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-28 20:02:27-05

BROWNSBURG — Traveling near Ronald Reagan Parkway and County Road 400 North in Brownsburg, drivers might have difficulty either turning onto or off Reagan Parkway to cross traffic.

"What's really disturbing is the school buses that have to cross it in the mornings and in the evenings," Brian Jessen, Brownsburg Town Council president, said. ""For them to have to dart across or make a left turn yeah it's just unsafe."

"I'm used to waiting in line," Jessen said. "I'm used to praying when I'm pulling out to try to cross the intersection. I've always been curious on why there hasn't been anything better there."

Others, have too. Just this week, a car ended up in a ditch and the passengers were taken to the hospital.

According to Jessen, there have been six accidents since Nov. 2017 - when the road opened.

"It's unfortunate somebody's going to have to get hurt, hurt before they make a change I believe," Michael Western, who lives near the intersection, said.

The Town Council president says county officials underestimated the amount of traffic through initial studies of the intersection years ago.

"It's the only intersection along the Reagan from 74, down to 70, that doesn't have a stoplight there," Jessen said. "And the only intersection that doesn't have any sort of lighting there."

He thinks to stop more crashes from happening is to look at a stop light as the overall solution.

The best option for a solution will be determined through updated traffic study, to look at how many cars use the intersection. A solution that is welcomed by drivers.

The traffic study could be completed within the next 30 days. They'd like construction to begin within a year.

The Town Council president also adds that Ronald Reagan Parkway is currently under INDOT's jurisdiction. They're wrapping up a project now that worked to extend the road. That's why town officials are just now being able to address the intersection problem at 400 North.