ODOT to convert eight Northwest Ohio intersections to all-way stops

Eight intersections to be converted to all-way stop in northwest Ohio

Safety project will begin altering intersections March 9 

LIMA, Ohio (Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026) - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 will convert eight intersections to all-way stops to improve safety.

The project, expected to begin in March, is part of a statewide initiative that will implement all-way stops at select intersections throughout Ohio.

The locations selected for conversion are where crash data found the most common type of crash was the result of a failure to stop or a failure to yield to cross-traffic that was not required to stop.

"These intersections have a higher rate of angle crashes, which often result in serious injuries or fatalities," said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “Our goal is zero fatalities. When all approaches are expected to stop, crash severity is significantly reduced," he said.

The work will take place over the next three months; the locations and expected timing of the closures are detailed below:

March 9

Defiance County - State Route 18 (Defiance Avenue)/U.S. 127 (Harrison Street), village of Sherwood

Wyandot County - U.S. 23/State Route 199, both interchange ramps, city of Upper Sandusky 

April 6

Hancock County - State Route 330/State Route 568/County Road 330, near the village of Vanlue

Hancock County - State Route 613/Township Road 142, near the village of Van Buren

May 4

Paulding County - State Route 613/State Route 637, near the village of Melrose

Putnam County - State Route 108/State Route 613, near the village of Miller City

Putnam County - State Route 109/State Route 613, near the village of West Leipsic 

Message boards to alert drivers of the changes will be placed approximately two weeks prior and remain on site for approximately two weeks after the change to remind motorists of the new traffic pattern. All approaches of the intersections will be equipped with flashing stop-ahead signs. 

ODOT will continue to monitor the intersections to ensure the all-way stop is operating as intended.

Throughout Ohio, ODOT is reviewing intersections to determine where all-way stops could make travel safer. The solution has been found to improve intersection safety in other states. Since 2018, the state of North Carolina converted over 500 intersections from a typical two-way to all-way stop control. Their analysis of 348 of these locations showed a 100% reduction in fatal crashes and 95% reduction in serious injury crashes. Similar results were also seen in the state of Delaware.