Uniontown, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) partnered with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) to raise awareness about a recent increase in stop sign vandalism in Fayette County and the serious safety risks it creates for drivers.
Over the past two weeks, eight stop signs have been damaged or knocked down in Jefferson and Franklin townships creating dangerous conditions at intersections throughout Fayette County.
Stop signs assign the right-of-way at intersections. When one is missing, drivers may not realize they are required to stop, increasing the likelihood of crashes.
“PennDOT’s primary concern is the safety of everyone who travels these roads,” said PennDOT District Executive Rachel Duda. “When someone damages or removes a stop sign, they create an immediate and unnecessary danger for every driver approaching that intersection.”
Drivers who approach an intersection where a stop sign appears to be missing should slow down, use extreme caution, and be prepared to yield to other traffic. If you notice a damaged or missing stop sign call 911.
When PennDOT is notified that a stop sign has been damaged or knocked down, maintenance crews respond as quickly as possible to replace the sign and restore safe traffic control.
Replacing vandalized stop signs costs taxpayer money and takes crews from other important road work. More importantly, every missing stop sign creates the potential for a preventable crash that could seriously injure or kill someone.
“Damaging a stop sign is more than vandalism, it’s a crime that puts lives at risk,” said Pennsylvania State Trooper Kalee Barnhart. “We ask anyone with information to contact the Pennsylvania State Police so we can hold those responsible accountable and help prevent a tragedy.”
Anyone with information about those responsible for damaging stop signs is encouraged to contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 724.929.6262.
Travelers can check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict12.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Maczko, mmaczko@pa.gov or 724-415-3748
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