Fire Chief Marv Koorn told commissioners of the North Whidbey Fire and Rescue District that a change in traffic flow at the intersection of Troxell and Monkey Hill roads has created a safety problem at Fire Station 21.

“It used to be a four-way stop but now Troxell Road is a through road and there are cars going 50 miles per hour,” Koorn said at this month’s meeting. “This creates a real hazard for fire trucks pulling out of Station 21 to go on calls.”

Koorn said he has sent a letters to Island County Public Works and also to the county commissioners regarding the problem.

So far there have been no accidents at the location, but the potential for problems to arise is there.

Commissioner Bruce Carman said he has received several telephone calls from concerned citizens living in the area about the new traffic configuration.

“Now that Troxell Road has opened up, people are worried that an accident involving an emergency vehicle may happen,” he said. “There was never any problem with the intersection being a four-way stop and I never got any telephone calls about how things used to be.”

The Island County Road Department has put up warning signs for drivers approaching the intersection east and westbound on Monkey Hill Road that cross traffic on Troxell Road. But this doesn’t alleviate the safety problem for firefighters at Station 21, which sits on the southwest corner of the intersection.

Commissioners suggested that if the intersection remains the way it is now, the county should explore the possibility of installing a flashing light that could be triggered by Station 21’s fire siren to alert drivers of oncoming vehicles.

Commissioners directed Koorn to draft a letter to the county regarding the flashing light.