Applause and surprised looks followed Northeastern Wayne School Superintendent Jennifer O’Brien’s announcement that a stoplight will be installed at U.S. 27 and Wallace Road.
O’Brien told NWS’ board at its Jan. 21 meeting that she was pleased to announce the new stoplight after she’d met with Indiana Department of Transportation leaders.
Local officials have sought help with traffic safety help at the federal highway near school entrances after several serious crashes there.
O’Brien said INDOT already has been surveying the area.
Jordan Yaney, public relations director for INDOT’s Greenfield District, told WWN that the construction is expected to begin in fall 2028 or spring 2029.
Yaney said design is still in the very early stages, but INDOT is currently planning to add a full-length southbound left turn lane in addition to the traffic signal.
School board members expressed their gratitude.
“For many years, a lot of people have tried to get that done,” said Kim Claypoole, NWS board vice president.
In an October 2024 WWN article, former NWS Superintendent Matthew Hicks said a high-speed two-vehicle accident there the month prior led to someone taking an ambulance ride. When traffic was being redirected off campus after that crash, Hicks said many drivers rolled down their windows and said they believe a stoplight has been needed there for decades.
At that time, Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter said five personal injury and 12 property damage crashes had taken place at that intersection since 2019.
Hicks then said he’d contacted State Sen. Jeff Raatz and State Rep. Brad Barrett, and Raatz said he’d ask INDOT to take another look.
A few years earlier as NWS’ new superintendent, Hicks had invited Raatz and Barrett to see and discuss the intersection, and they did. The lawmakers contacted INDOT, which conducted an in-depth traffic study.
However, INDOT denied that request, saying the intersection didn’t qualify for a light because it wasn’t needed more than twice a day.
Additional community attempts to get a stoplight also had failed. Years ago, a locally initiated petition with many signatures didn’t get the desired result, Claypoole said.
A version of this article appeared in the January 28 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.