Caltrans is stepping up safety at an intersection in Lake County after three people were killed in collisions there in the last 14 months.

Initially, Caltrans planned to install flashing beacons at Highway 29 and Hartmann Road in Hidden Valley Lake but now plans to turn the intersection into a three-way stop. At some point in the long term, Caltrans wants to reroute Hartmann Road to the north to connect with Highway 29 at Arabian Lane.

“The flashing beacons were in response to a slightly higher than average number of collisions that had occurred over the previous 10 year period, but in the last year the number of collisions has greatly increased,” Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie Jr. said. “The three-way stop is the quickest way to increase safety at this intersection.”

Frisbie said the stop signs are expected to be installed by late August or early September.

At a community meeting Tuesday in Middletown, Caltrans told the about 50 area residents attending that 27 collisions have been reported at 29 at Hartmann over the last seven years, including two fatal collisions that killed three people and 13 injury collisions. The most recent fatality occurred June 23.