Perilous portion of Route 51 in Fayette County has residents and leaders calling for change
A series of car crashes over the years along a stretch of Route 51 in Fayette County has some residents and a township calling for change to protect drivers.
Multiple crashes have been reported at the intersection of Tippecanoe Road and Town and Country roads in Franklin Township, including one that happened two weeks ago.
"The guy was coming, headed north, turning on Tippecanoe, sitting there, waiting to turn, and somebody came up behind him and blasted him," said Tim Kelly, the Franklin Township supervisor.
Six months ago, Kelly said the township requested that PennDOT complete a traffic study not only of that intersection but of all intersections along Route 51 in Franklin Township that he said are problematic.
Kelly said he reached out to 911 to get a tally of how many crashes there have been from 2025 through the end of May 2026.
"We've had 46 accidents. And then this intersection, the main intersection here, Tippecanoe and Town and Country, there was 12 incidents there," Kelly said.
Andrea Allen, who lives near the Tippecanoe and Town and Country intersection, said she also sent a letter in the fall to state representatives, township supervisors and PennDOT, requesting that something be done to improve safety in the area.
"It's because of the speed. It's not controlled, it's not monitored," Allen said. "They're coming around the corner, somebody's in the lane that's not a turning lane, and they're trying to get off."
Allen said she and her family have a bird's-eye view of Route 51 and have witnessed multiple crashes over the years.
"I literally have flares and safety vests in our mailbox because we are always the first responders or the people calling 911," Allen said.
Kelly said in January, the township received a letter from PennDOT stating a study had been completed. In a copy shared with KDKA-TV, the letter states, "The Department completed study efforts to investigate the area for any possible low-cost safety improvements or other mitigations to improve overall safety and mobility through this corridor. The results from our investigations include lower cost improvements, such as clearing any overgrown vegetation within the Department Right-of-Way (ROW) and upgrading all the existing traffic-related signage. The Department will have overgrown vegetation within the ROW cleared and all the signage will be updated as weather and resources permit."
"Do you think clearing the vegetation and adding new signs will work? Is that enough?" KDKA's Erika Stanish asked the township supervisor.
"I don't know if it'll work, but you know it'll help because pulling out of some of the intersections, you can't see because of some grass. I mean, they give you a little sight up the road," Kelly said. "As for the signage, some people pay attention to signs, some people don't."
Kelly said he believes reducing speed and adding a turning lane could be two things that will help the most.
"It's always a huge fear of ours that there's going to be more accidents, because people are flying, not paying attention," Allen said.
KDKA-TV reached out to PennDOT, which said, according to its data, there have been 10 crashes at the Tippecanoe and Town and Country roads intersection over the span of five years.
"PennDOT received a request from the municipality to conduct a traffic study. In response, PennDOT conducted internal reviews and requested that the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) perform a Road Safety Audit. SPC is working on this request and will provide recommendations upon completion," a PennDOT spokesperson said.
PennDOT said an RSA aims to determine what elements of the road may present a safety concern: to what extent, to which road users and under what circumstances. In addition, PennDOT said the study will answer the question, "What opportunities exist to eliminate or mitigate identified safety concerns?"
A spokesperson said there is no timeline for the report to be completed.
"It depends on the complexity of the concerns and issues of the particular area," a spokesperson said.
KDKA-TV asked if PennDOT had any current plans to remove any vegetation in the area or add signage along the stretch of road that is of concern.
"We have cleared the vegetation from within our ROW (Right-of-Way). We are currently reviewing options to remove or have other vegetation out of our ROW removed to help with sight distance. In addition, we are performing a review of the signage along this area. Any missing signs will be replaced and ensure they are visible," a PennDOT spokesperson said.
