To ODOT: County wants safer intersection

CELINA - County officials are seeking additional safety measures from the Ohio Department of Transportation at State Route 118 and Frahm Pike after a recent fatal two-vehicle crash at the intersection.

Mercer County commissioners on Tuesday approved executing a letter from Mercer County Engineer Jim Wiechart and Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey requesting a safety review of the intersection from ODOT District 7 in Sidney.

The request arrives after the death of a 31-year-old Rockford man involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection on Jan. 16.

"Unfortunately, we recently experienced another fatality at the above-referenced location," the letter reads. "Allegedly, (as we understand it) an eastbound vehicle on Frahm Pike did not stop and yield the right-of-way as it attempted to cross SR 118. Many times, the past accidents at this location have been westbound traffic not properly yielding to SR 118 traffic."

The letter states that county officials doubled stop and stop ahead signs on the west bound approach, which officials "believe was a prudent measure at that location."

Wiechart and Grey in the letter said one potential proposal to make the intersection safer on the eastbound approach would be a similar signage situation as the westbound approach.

"Thus, we are requesting, as partner to your office, to consider the aforementioned scenario, but also any other ways to improve the safety of this location," the letter continues. "We respectfully request ODOT to perform a traffic safety review of this intersection and look at ways we can make it safer."

Commissioner Rick Muhlenkamp said this is not the first time county officials have requested an ODOT traffic review for the intersection.

Joseph Beckner, 36, Bradford, was driving a 1990 Dodge pickup truck pulling a trailer eastbound on Frahm Pike on Jan. 16 when he reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign and struck Joseph Steiner, 31, Rockford, who was reportedly traveling northbound on State Route 118 in a 2023 Hyundai sedan.

Both were transported to Mercer County Community Hospital by Celina and Rockford Emergency Medical Services. Steiner was then transported to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton by medical helicopter and later died on Jan. 25.

Commissioners also,

• approved a $133,732 purchase request from Grey for two new 2023 sheriff cruisers from Statewide Ford with accessories from Statewide Emergency Products.

• accepted the lowest bid of $10,060 from TSCMK Lawn Service to provide lawn care services at Eden Haven Park, Bunge Park and the 4-H Camp. TSCMK Lawn Service has been awarded the contract the past three years.

• accepted a $100,000 combined total bid submitted by Fenson Contracting, LLC, Fort Jennings, for the Orchard Tree demolition project.

• approved a $36,449.12 payment to Applied Environmental Solutions, LLC, for start-up expenses of an Ohio Water Development Authority Research and Development Grant project.