Fire District to Address Safety at High-Accident Intersections with County DOT

Manhattan Fire Protection District | August 18, 2025 Meeting

Article Summary: The Manhattan Fire Protection District will meet with the Will County Department of Transportation to provide data and seek solutions for the high number of accidents occurring at the intersections of Route 50 and Countyline Road, and Wilmington-Peotone Road. Chief Steve Malone hopes the collaboration will lead to a long-term safety solution for the hazardous locations.

Dangerous Intersections Key Points:

• Chief Steve Malone announced an upcoming meeting with the Will County Department of Transportation.

• The focus is on two high-accident areas: Route 50 and Countyline Road, and Wilmington-Peotone Road.

• The fire district will provide accident data to assist the county in developing a safety solution.

The Manhattan Fire Protection District is taking a proactive approach to address safety concerns at two local intersections known for frequent vehicle accidents. At the district’s board meeting on Monday, August 18, 2025, Fire Chief Steve Malone announced that he has scheduled a meeting with the Will County Department of Transportation to discuss the hazardous locations.

The intersections of concern are Route 50 and Countyline Road, and Wilmington-Peotone Road.

“We will be providing data to help work toward a solution for the multiple accidents that occur at these locations,” Malone stated in his chief’s report.

By sharing firsthand data gathered from emergency responses, the fire district aims to assist the county, which has jurisdiction over the roads, in analyzing the problem and developing effective safety improvements.

Malone acknowledged that finding a permanent fix will take time. “This may be a long process but is hopefully moving forward,” he said. The collaboration represents an effort by local emergency services to use their on-the-ground knowledge to advocate for infrastructure changes that could prevent future accidents and injuries in the community.