April 25, 2025
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Oswego village president, trustees push for four-way stop at Fifth Street, Bluegrass Parkway

Want to reduce number of accidents at intersection

By Eric Schelkopf
Oswego village officials hope that making the intersection of Fifth Street and Bluegrass Parkway a four-way stop will help reduce the number of accidents at the intersection.

Oswego village officials hope that making the intersection of Fifth Street and Bluegrass Parkway a four-way stop will help reduce the number of accidents at the intersection. (Eric Schelkopf)

Oswego village officials hope that making the intersection of Fifth Street and Bluegrass Parkway a four-way stop will help reduce the number of accidents at the intersection.

The issue was discussed at the April 8 Oswego Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. Currently, there are stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic on Bluegrass Parkway at the intersection while Fifth Street functions as a through intersection with additional pedestrian safety measures in place.

Currently, there are stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic on Bluegrass Parkway at the intersection while Fifth Street functions as a through intersection with additional pedestrian safety measures in place. In the fall of 2023, a flashing beacon and a pedestrian crosswalk was installed on the south leg of the intersection.

Currently, there are stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic on Bluegrass Parkway at the intersection while Fifth Street functions as a through intersection with additional pedestrian safety measures in place. In the fall of 2023, a flashing beacon and a pedestrian crosswalk was installed on the south leg of the intersection. (Eric Schelkopf)

In the fall of 2023, a flashing beacon and a pedestrian crosswalk was installed on the south leg of the intersection.

The intersection is located near Brokaw Learning Center and has some proximity to Plank Junior High School and Churchill Elementary School.

“Given the extreme, in my mind, very extreme number of accidents, 12 in the last couple of years, which is an average of about 4 per year, I think it’s a no-brainer,” Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman said in pushing for an all-way stop to be installed at the intersection. “I know I’ve had a lot of residents reach out to me expressing the same. And it makes the most sense to me that we do this.”

Village Trustee Kit Kuhrt agreed. He noted there were two accidents at the intersection recently that occurred in the same week.

“That intersection is not safe for the children,” he said.

Village Trustee Karen Novy also agreed that the intersection needs a four-way stop.

“I spend a lot of time talking to residents in Churchill Club subdivision and I know it’s a concern for them,” she said. “I would like to see a four-way stop there.”

Village Trustee Tom Guist said he foresees a traffic light will eventually have to be installed at the intersection, especially as the number of the cars going through the intersection continues to increase.

The posted speed limit on Fifth Street is 35 mph and it is 25 mph on Bluegrass Parkway.

Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin said that speeding is not a major issue in the accidents that have occurred at the intersection.

“These crashes, most of them, have been a failure to yield issue,” he said.

Village trustees are set to formally vote on the issue Tuesday, April 22.