Published on Monday, January 29, 2007
in the Highlands Today

FHP To Check Hazard Signs On Fatality Site

LAKE PLACID — Following an accident and the disappearance of a hazard sign, the Florida Department of Transportation will re-evaluate the signs surrounding the intersection of U.S. 27 and S.R. 70, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Greg Bueno said Sunday.

This follows at least two separate accidents in the past three weeks along the northbound lanes of U.S. 27, which are currently being resurfaced. One of those accidents, which occurred well south of the intersection last week, resulted in a death.

On the northbound lanes of U.S. 27, a sign indicating uneven lanes was on the south side of the intersection with S.R. 70 on Tuesday. However, as the pavement became uneven, there was no sign north of that intersection for more than 1,000 feet.

By Saturday, signs were placed on the north side of the intersection.

Lt. Greg Bueno of the Florida Highway Patrol said that a trooper previously reported that all the signs were properly positioned along that road. However, after receiving a call last week, a trooper checked the area and noticed that the sign on the north side of the intersection was missing.

Bueno was not sure how or why the signs on the north side of the intersection’s northbound lanes were removed, though he speculated that someone could be “tinkering” with the signs.

“They got that pretty regulated,” Bueno said. “It’s an objective black-and-white thing.”

In 2006, there were six crashes that resulted in either damages or injuries. None of those accidents were fatal.

Karl Mellor, who crashed his 1999 Suzi motorcycle north of that intersection Jan. 14, said he was changing lanes after making a right-hand turn off of S.R. 70. He said he saw no warning sign for the uneven lanes.

An answering service for the DOT said that no one in the department could comment before Monday.