MT. STERLING, Ky. (LEX 18) — After a crash that killed a Mount Sterling teen, a notoriously dangerous intersection was re-designed. Now, it's set to officially be dedicated to her with signage this weekend.
Emilee Collins was just 16 years old when she lost her life in a crash at the intersection of Indian Mound Drive and Spencer Lane in May 2021.
Her death sparked a community-wide push to make the intersection safer. Collins' mother, Denise Collins, took her concerns to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
"It was just a 4-way with a flashing red light over the top of it," Collins said.
Ultimately, KYTC found that a roundabout would be the best solution to protect drivers while also allowing traffic to flow smoothly. By August 2022, the intersection reopened to the public.
"The roundabout will hopefully prevent anymore fatalities at that intersection," Collins said.
The cabinet's SAFERoad Solutions project emphasizes alternative layouts for intersections to improve both efficiency and safety on the roads. Roundabouts are just one example.
KYTC reports roundabouts see 90% fewer fatal crashes than traditional intersections, and 75% fewer crashes with injuries.
"There's just less opportunity for drivers who make a mistake to get into a crash," said Michael Vaughn, traffic safety branch manager for KYTC.
He added that in traditional four-way intersections, there are 32 conflict points for drivers that could result in a crash. In roundabouts, there are only eight.
According to a statewide map of alternative intersection styles, there are roughly three dozen roundabouts of varying sizes in Kentucky.
"We've really started to accelerate the construction of roundabouts in the last five to six years," Vaughn said.
This weekend, signage is set to be unveiled at the Mount Sterling roundabout, officially dedicating it as the 'Emilee-Grace Collins Memorial Roundabout', after the state legislature passed a law to name it this year.
"I'm just excited. It's been a long time coming. It's been a long, hard road," Collins said.
