An intersection in the Ontario County town of Hopewell that has been the site of several crashes, including a fatal crash in August, will get a new four-way stop Wednesday as state officials work to improve safety.
The intersection of State Route 488 and Freshour Road will be reduced to a single lane beginning at 9 a.m. Oct. 7 as crews install new stop signs on Route 488.
Traffic will alternate through the work zone and be controlled by flaggers, according to the New York State Department of Transportation. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the day, weather permitting.
When will Hopewell roadwork be done?
Crews will install new stop signs and stop-ahead signs in both directions on State Route 488.
The new stop signs will take effect immediately after they are installed,
officials said.
Previously, the intersection was controlled by stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on Freshour Road. Drivers on Route 488 did not have to stop.
The change will create a four-way stop at the intersection.
Fatal crash at Hopewell intersection
A 32-year-old woman was killed in August after the crash of a medical bus carrying six people at the intersection. She was one of the passengers.
A medical transport bus was traveling north on Freshour Road when it entered the intersection and crossed into the path of a 10-wheel dump truck, Ontario County sheriff's deputies said at the time.
The dump truck struck the driver's side of the bus, where passengers are typically seated.
Five of the adult passengers were residents of an assisted living facility for people with developmental disabilities, according to the Sheriff's Office. The sixth passenger was an employee of the facility.
The August crash was one of several at the intersection. State DOT data shows 69 reported crashes there between 2007 and the end of 2025, including three fatal crashes over the past nine years.
What can motorists expect?
Drivers should expect delays Wednesday and consider using alternate routes if necessary.
State officials are urging motorists to slow down and drive carefully in the work zone.
Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Two or more speeding convictions in a work zone could result in the suspension of a driver's license, according to the DOT.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Work begins at dangerous Ontario County intersection
