The state Department of Transportation's solution to reduce crashes at the Institute exit of Interstate 64 isn't ready yet. The new sign is still in the developmental stages.
But as soon as the order is completed, it will be manufactured in a DOT shop in Kanawha County and then placed on the side of the highway.
"Right now, there is a sign that does warn of a curve and says 55 mph," said DOT spokeswoman Carrie Bly. "We're going to put additional signage that does pertain particularly to truck traffic."
That additional sign, a large one that will warn drivers to slow down at the risk of tipping, is part of the answer to a problem that has resulted in 108 crashes in 2015, and 383 since 2012.
"We've had several tractor trailers that have gone into the guardrail there, in the same area," Bly said. "There's a curve there and it's going downhill, and a majority of these accidents have occurred when it's raining."
The sign isn't going to completely solve the problem, mostly because the DOT can't control everyone's driving.
"There are always incidents when people aren't paying attention," Bly said. "We saw that with the contraflow lane. We had signs up warning drivers to get off at the proper exit and it was on their permit to get off at the proper exit and they claimed that they didn't see it."
Because of that, DOT is also looking into adding a high-friction surface treatment to the road in the area.
The abrasive is composed of bauxite, a mineral that is often the source of aluminum, and is applied to the surface of the road to give more traction to tires, particularly in rainy weather.
"It just gives more traction and provides friction in wet situations," Bly said.
It has to be more than 50 degrees for 6 hours in order for the surface treatment to be added, and because the approval process takes a while, the DOT won't be able to put the surface treatment on the road until the spring.
The area isn't considered an urgent priority. There has only been one fatality at the curve in the past four years and while it seems like there are a lot of crashes, including two in the past week, the crash rate is still around the state average considering that the road usually sees 66,610 cars a day.
"When it first started, the rates remained under the statewide crash average," Bly said. "After the most recent one this week, it's starting to encroach higher."
After the most recent crashes, the DOT sent traffic analysts out to examine the spot and see if there are any structural changes to make, particularly looking at the drainage. But, if needed, those changes could be a while.
In the meantime, a sign will have to do.
Reach Daniel Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or on twitter at @drdesrochers.