Speed limit reduced at Tishomingo intersection where crash killed 6 girls

TISHOMINGO, Okla. (KXII) - Its been over three months since a car crash in Tishomingo killed six teenage girls and now the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is making changes at the intersection where it happened.

The March car crash left the Tishomingo community devastated and reignited a strong public outcry for change at the three highway intersection that many in the community have felt is unsafe for years.

“It is a danger and its been a danger for quite some time,” said Tishomingo resident Stacey Pulley.

The calls for change quickly made it to ODOT where a plan started to take shape.

“ODOT wants to be part of the solution and that meant having our engineers review that area and collect lots of data,” said ODOT spokesperson Cody Boyd.

Boyd says that at a meeting this past Monday the transportation commissioners considered the first change to the intersection; a reduced speed limit to state highways 22 and 99.

“Its a reduction at several different legs of the intersection going down five miles per hour in different spots there as you’re approaching the intersection,” said Boyd.

ODOT has also added additional signs warning drivers of the upcoming intersection as well as flights to more clearly identify stop signs.

While many are glad to see progress some were hoping for more.

“I think that’s great that they are trying to do something, I would like to see something more and faster,” said Pulley.

However Boyd says that this is just the first step in a larger process.

“Those are just some temporary, immediate type changes that can be made easily,” said Boyd. “ODOT is still committed to working with the community looking at a longer term effort to develop a project and modify the intersection, kind of change how it functions.”

Boyd says that the new speed limits won’t be enforced until the proper signage is up which should take around a week.

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