ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A busy intersection in Asheville has some new safety improvements.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced that its department, in coordination with the city of Asheville, has installed new stop signs and pavement markings on Emma Road and its intersection with Bingham Road in north Asheville. The operation also included new “Stop Ahead” and “New Traffic Pattern Ahead” signs in the area.

Previously, only traffic on Bingham Road had to stop at this intersection. Now, traffic on Emma Road must come to a full and complete stop, NCDOT said in a press release.

“This treatment is an effective, low-cost measure that will improve safety in the area,” NCDOT wrote in a Monday release. “The all-way stop is a countermeasure for a chronic front-impact crash pattern that exists at this intersection.”

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“All-way stop installations across North Carolina have dramatically reduced the total number and severity of crashes across the state — saving lives and saving property,” DOT’s release continued. “All-way stops reduced total crashes by 68%, reduced injury crashes by 77%, and frontal-impact crashes by 75%.”

Reminder: What to do at an All-Way Stop​​​​​ ​

  • The first vehicle at the intersection has the right of way;
  • When two or more vehicles reach an intersection at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way and may go straight or, if legal and after signaling, turn left or right;
  • When two facing vehicles approach an intersection simultaneously, both drivers can move straight ahead or turn right, after coming to a complete stop. If one driver is going straight while the other wants to turn left, the driver who wants to turn left must yield; and
  • Even with the right of way, drivers should remember to use appropriate turn signals and watch for pedestrians and other vehicles.

828newsNOW has reached out to NCDOT for more information on crash data in this area. This story will be updated with any new information.