Salisbury eyes roundabout for Six Points intersection, citing traffic and safety concerns

SALISBURY, Md. – It’s known as the Six Points intersection.

“One of our most complicated and difficult intersections”

The crossing at East Main, Truitt, East William Streets, Long Avenue, and Mount Herman Road connects smaller roadways with some of Salisbury’s more major thoroughfares. It could, one day, become a roundabout.

“Six Points has actually been one of our most complicated and difficult intersections for years,” said Salisbury Transportation Manager, Will White. “When you have a six-leg intersection, it never cycles in a way that’s convenient for anybody. It just can’t.”

And, when the bells rings at Wicomico High School (WiHi), White says the intersection isn’t just complicated and difficult; it’s also dangerous. Wicomico County Public Schools (WCPS) tells 47 ABC WMDT that hundreds of students navigate the intersection each weekday. That includes a number of large school buses, and many other vehicles transporting students.

“You have multiple schools here in this stretch – Wicomico Middle, WiHi – kind of compounds the issue. So, you have two schools that are letting out at the same time, and the high school also has student drivers leaving,” White said. “Our biggest concern being the large number of kids walking across this intersection.”

Roundabout Study in the Works

Citing traffic flow and safety, the City of Salisbury may conduct a feasibility study on turning the intersection into a roundabout. The study hasn’t yet been approved by Salisbury City Council. However, White says a roundabout “solves all of those problems.”

White says the process could take between three and five years; but it will be worth the wait.

“We’ll be doing engineering feasibility studies, looking at traffic count, making sure everything works, and will continue to work,” White said. “Roundabouts have been proven to have a 70% to 80% reduction in injurious crashes, and a 30% to 40% reduction in all crashes, overall.”

Neighbors, Businesses Concerned About Safety

Salisbury City Council member Michele Gregory lives a block away from the intersection. Gregory says work converting it into a roundabout can’t come soon enough.

“I, myself, have had neighbors who have had bad incidents here. I’ve had constituents reach out to me saying, ‘Hey, I’ve had an accident here. This is a really dangerous intersection…’ There are no crosswalks,” said Gregory. “Our goal is to make this area much more safe, and much more user friendly, so that we don’t run the risk of kids that are walking to school getting hit.”

Meanwhile, business located at the intersection, like the Ugly Pie, say it’s not backups that they’re most concerned about; it’s safety.

“It does get a little bit backed up. But, it seems to flow pretty well. The high school lets out, and that’s a different issue. The kids are swarming across the road,” said Ugly Pie co-owner, Heather Hall.

Hall says moving from downtown Salisbury to the new location at the intersection has been a positive for the business; but is a bit anxious to see how any possible construction may impact it.

“We love being on this intersection, because it is kind of a central part of town, especially with all the schools around. It’s already brought us a lot more business since we opened in this spot,” said Hall. “Just knowing how people handled the other traffic circle that they recently built [on Riverside Drive,] it makes me a little apprehensive about how people will treat this one.”

Gregory: “Overwhelmingly” Positive Feedback

Gregory says she’s heard similar sentiments from some constituents. However, she believes this change will be for the better.

Drivers who frequently travel the intersection say they couldn’t agree more.

Looking Ahead

The City of Salisbury would team up with the State Highway Administration and the Metropolitan Planning Organization to conduct the study. The study has a $50,000 price tag; the City would fund $22,000, and the SHA and MOP would provide $28,000.

White says should the study be approved, the City will be working closely with Wicomico County Public Schools.

“We’re looking at them for student counts, times they’re leaving, stuff like that,” said White. “We’ll be doing engineering feasibility studies, looking at traffic count, making sure everything works, and will continue to work.”

WCPS officials say they look forward to working with the City on any changes that could come to the intersection.

“It’s extremely important to Wicomico County Public Schools that before any changes are made to the intersection, paramount to all, any new plan should ensure the safety of students who cross on foot in the E. Main, Long Avenue, Mt. Hermon Rd and Truitt Street area, as well as the safety of all motorists who use this intersection,” said WCPS Superintendent Dr. Micah Stauffer in a statement.