The North Carolina Department of Transportation will enhance traffic safety by making Highway 125 at Aurelian Springs Road an all-way stop later this month.

Now, drivers on Highway 125 do not stop at this intersection south of Weldon. 

Crews will add stop signs on either side of the highway for each approach. 

They also will add stop ahead warning signs with flags along Highway 125 about 400 feet before the intersection. 

Additionally, this junction’s existing overhead flashing yellow caution light will be changed to a red flasher.

Crews are scheduled to make the change on December 16, starting after daybreak. Flaggers will control the intersection, allowing one vehicle at a time to proceed, until the conversion is completed around 1 p.m.

Last fall, the Halifax County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution approving of the NCDOT investigating the intersection with the potential outcome of making it an all-way stop as an effective way to improve safety. 

A departmental study in 2010 found converting intersections from a two-way stop into an all-way reduced fatality and injury-related crashes by 72 percent.

Changeable message boards are alerting people of the new traffic pattern. 

The project, however, will be rescheduled if there is inclement weather.

All-Way Stop Rules

As a reminder, drivers approaching an all-way stop should follow these rules:

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. If one driver is going straight while the other wants to turn left, the driver who wants to turn left must yield

Even with the right of way, drivers should remember to use appropriate turn signals and watch for pedestrians and other vehicles