A look at Boone Co. response for crashes, changes made on Creasy Springs Road
The debate over the safety of a Columbia road continues the night after the issue was discussed at a city council meeting.
The danger of Creasy Springs Road became a topic of discussion after two people were killed in a May 3 car crash.
The crash sparked an outrage among residents along the road who called on the city to straighten out the road like it promised.
But because money is an issue, the city is looking at smaller changes for now.
“At least something has got to be done in terms of warnings,” Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid said Monday night. “Signage at the very least. Whether or not it involves structural changes to re-route the road is another thing.”
Because part of Creasy Springs Road is in Boone County jurisdiction, ABC 17 News asked about the county’s responses on the road.
“Over the last several years, we’ve worked a good number of crashes up there,” said Sergeant Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department.
Leer said many of the more serious crashes have some things in common.
“For the majority of those crashes, from our perspective, and when we get into the more serious injury crashes and the fatal crashes, a lot of those are speed related and all too often have alcohol or drugs involved,” he said.
But Leer said he personally has worked with Boone County Public Works to try to make it safer for drivers near what some residents call the “Killer Curve.”
“They’ve gone out there and enhanced the signs, put more reflective material up there and more signage to try to help notify the drivers as they’re coming down the road,” he said.
Leer said the signage and increased patrols has helped.
“It’s a combined effort,” he said. “We’ve stepped up enforcement over the years out there. We’ve seen a decrease in the crashes.”
A memorial sits where 34-year-old Christopher Robinson was killed in a crash back in 2009 on the other side of the curve where the most recent crash happened.
Leer said although the efforts have helped, the county still considers it a busy road.
“It’s definitely on the radar as far as one of the busier roads when it comes to issues with crashes,” he said.
Leer said even if the city of Columbia decided to straighten the road, it could be a double-edged sword because a straighter road could make it easier to speed.
As of Tuesday night, the crash report for the most recent May 3 crash has not been released by the Columbia Police Department.
