What Are the Most Dangerous Intersections in Your Neighborhood?
To add a marker, just click on the blue "Add" button on the map's upper-right corner. Then, click on the intersection you want to identify and hit "submit" in the dialogue box that pops up.
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Earlier this month, the City of Minneapolis released a study of car crash statistics that had some striking results: a great many collisions between bicycles and automobiles were the fault of both the cyclist and the driver involved.
Red pins in the map above mark the worst intersections for bike-car crashes.
Depending on where your views lie on the car-versus-bike question, the results might not have been all that surprising. The study, which analyzed data from 2000 to 2010, found that many drivers caused crashes by not yielding to bikes when they should under state law. It also said that many cyclists caused accidents by "riding in an unpredictable manner," doing things like running traffic lights or riding on the wrong side of the road. Overall, though, as the number of cyclists on the roads skyrocketed during the decade, the number of crashes per cyclist dropped significantly.
One thing that wasn't surprising was the casualty rate. 87 percent of cyclists involve in a crash sustained some kind of injury, and 12 were killed. No drivers were hurt in any recorded bicycle-car crash.
Overall, motorists were at fault in around 64 percent of crashes, while cyclists were at fault in 59 percent of crashes. In many instances, both rider and driver contributed to the cause of the crash.
Now, Patch wants your help to pinpoint what you think are the most dangerous intersections in your neighborhood. Maybe it's a stop sign at the end of your block that no-one respects, or maybe it's a poorly-designed set of traffic lights. Regardless of whether you're a driver, a cyclist, or a pedestrian, tell us where you feel unsafe by adding a pin to the map above. While you're at it, use the comments section tell us what's so bad about that spot—bad drivers, bad riders, or bad design?
To add a marker, just click on the blue "Add" button on the map's upper-right corner. Then, click on the intersection you want to identify and hit "submit" in the dialogue box that pops up.
Tony Zimmerman
8:46 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
68th and Penn. There's a bus stop, gas station, and Salon Junallo there. The sidewalk is tiny and off the street and people try to cross Penn there. Also, 68th gets narrow when Salon Junallo customers park on both sides of 68th, so when turning on to 68th, you have to drive down the center. I've almost got in to several accidents because at the same time people are pulling out of the gas station on to 68th and can't see because of the parked cars. Parking shouldn't be allowed between the corner and the entrance to the US on 68th.
Bettie Ronning
1:17 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I agree Tony! This area is awful. In winter the street becomes even narrower because they plow down the middle instead of making these cars move on both sides of the street. I think what we need to do is start getting people to call on this! When that salon moved in they knew they had a small parking lot. I have noticed that there are a couple cars that are there all the time during working hours, I am assuming these are the employees of the salon. Make them at least park around the corner. I love when they also park so there their vehicles are partway into the intersection at the 2 way stop end of the street. But if you call the City of Richfield they never do anything about these things, and the people answering the phones make you feel like crud for even calling and wasting their time!!
Artimus Johnson
9:41 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
My suggestion is to either establish set bike lanes like some of the metro has already done, or even better widen sidewalks. Many trails around the metro area already have the separate pedestrian/cyclist segregated paths, and they work out very well. While widening sidewalks would be a costly renovation for the city of Minneapolis, motorists are way less likely to jump over a curb hitting a cyclist resulting in a significant decline in the amount of motorist/cyclist accidents.
Sean Hayford Oleary
11:27 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Artimus: Off-street trails are popular in newer suburbs and exurbs, but they're a poor fit for Minneapolis, Richfield, Edina, and other older cities. The critical differences are that a.) cars are not going as fast and b.) there are many more access points to our streets -- driveways and more frequent intersections. "Rear-overtaking" crashes are very rare, especially at lower speeds, while accidents as a result of turning or intersection behavior are more common. Unfortunately, encouraging people to bike on the sidewalk (or "bike path") almost always increases turning accidents -- because, while we might be able to yield to a pedestrian going 3 miles per hour, it's much harder to yield to a bike going 15 mph. Except for very expensive and carefully designed cycle tracks, on-street lanes are almost always safer. And as you note, cheaper to build, too!
Barry L
11:04 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
76th and Lyndale, for a couple reasons. 1) The Main Street Village building shadows the east side of that inter section. It ices up. I have seen a bicycle guy slip to the ground and also many cars slid right into North bound lane of Lyndale when that freezes. They have put up a sign going east but not one going west on 76th street that, indicates ICY ROAD...The Bike lane there narrows....Some times the drivers are not paying attention and some times the Bike People think they own the road....So neither is my vote...
Barry L
1:51 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
just notice Icy road sing heading west
Sean Hayford Oleary
11:24 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Your poll question is RIDICULOUSLY simplistic. Obviously both drivers and cyclists are to blame in many crashes -- though I suppose drivers do owe a greater duty of care, since they have much less to lose in a crash. The only intersection at which I've experienced a crash is 47th and Nicollet, where I was riding a bicycle in the northbound travel lane of Nicollet, and a driver ran a stop sign on 47th. Obviously, she was at fault.
But in the "close calls" I've experienced, there truly is blame to share. Many cyclists will ride against the flow of traffic on the sidewalk. In Richfield, this is legal, but it's very dangerous behavior (right-turning cars won't notice you). The safest behavior (riding with traffic on the street, in a bike lane if available) is discouraged by our old and poorly designed major streets.
Shannon Smith
12:11 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
All groups are to be blamed. I would like to include pedestrians in the discussion. When driving, I've had close calls with pedestrians crossing the street when they don't have the right of way. I've also had close calls as a pedestrian with cars when I've had the right of way. There are too many self-centered and distracted people on the road that that think they can bend the rules and think others should adjust to them regardless of whether the mode of transportation is car, bike or foot. Not all drivers, cyclists or pedestrians break the rules, but enough do to cause these accidents. We all need to be careful and cognizant others and the laws while sharing the road.
Sean Hayford Oleary
12:15 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I suspect some of the problem is that a huge number of drivers misunderstand when pedestrians have right-of-way. As Mn/DOT's recent safety campaign notes, "every corner is a crosswalk" (http://www.dot.state.mn.us/sharetheroad/ped/). I think a large number of drivers think pedestrians only have right-of-way at a marked crosswalk; in fact, there is no legal difference in drivers' requirement to yield between a marked and unmarked crosswalk.
That said, I do find (especially downtown) pedestrians crossing on red when vehicles are approaching. I encounter this in particular when cycling downtown -- I guess drivers figure bikes won't do much damage, but in reality, it will end poorly for all involved.
Eric
2:11 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sean is correct about seperate paths being more dangerous, especially when there are many side streets and driveways. Drivers do not pay attention to the sidewalk.
While I haven't ridden much in the last several years, I used to ride a lot. The only time I was ever in an accident was when I was on a sidewalk and a car pulled out without looking. Thankfully I saw it coming and was almost stopped, merely getting knocked over from barely hitting the side of the car.
The only other bike crash I witnessed was when a bus made a right turn in front of a bike on the sidewalk. The bike's front tire was destroyed and the rider lucky that his back pack slid up and got between his head and the pavement.
Brenda Finken
4:15 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The lights across Cedar are not long enough. You can enter the intersection right when it turns yellow and it's a solid red by the time you get across and some of the left turn lights are so quick that you are the only one, 1/2 way through your turn and now you're turning on a red. I hope they see the need to adjust those before there is an accident.
George P. Burdell
4:21 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Many cyclists ride as if they believe they have priority over all traffic.
Riders around lake Minnetonka on Co rds 19 and 15 frequently ride 2 abreast,causing unsafe conditions. Many insist on riding on CO rd 15 when the Dakota Trail covers the same stretch of road and is much safer. Downtown riders bob and weave, changing lanes and driving between lanes in slowly moving traffic. I have had several close calls with people riding between lanes in my right side morror blind spot. Please obey traffic laws and realize cars have a right to the road as well.
Sean Hayford Oleary
11:44 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
George, I don't drive County Rd 15/Shoreline Dr much lately, but in the 100 or so times I've been on it, I'm not sure I've ever seen a bike. It's a very awkward road to bike on, since the width and form vary so much (some sections have very wide shoulders, then a tight curve with no shoulder at all, then a brief town section). Remember a couple of things: you are right that cyclists may not ride two abreast if they are "impeding" traffic, but there is no law against single-file cyclists "impeding" traffic; if it is safest for them to drive their bikes in the center of the lane, they are entitled to do so, just like a car. If a shoulder is available, I would use it (and I think most cyclists would), but there is no law requiring a bike to use a shoulder. The best thing we could do in the same of safety and efficiency would be to get consistent, wide, paved shoulders on this road. Very few if any cyclists would occupy the travel lane if such a reliable alternative existed.
The Dakota Rail Trail, unfortunately, has been marred by a campaign to appease drivers by forcing the trail to stop at every insignificant street crossing and wiping off crosswalks that gave cyclists right of way. Assuming the cyclists comply with every stop sign, it's a much slower journey -- and due to poor sight lines, probably less safe than CR 15/Shoreline.
Sean Hayford Oleary
11:46 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
As for the downtown bike behaviors you dislike, there is actually no law that I know of against a cyclist splitting lanes. (It is illegal for motorcyclists.) It's unsafe behavior, to be sure, but the only place I've seen it regularly is on Hennepin Ave (often to bypass cars illegally driving in the curb-side bus/bike only lane).
Brian Magnuson
6:03 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Removing the stop sign by Pilgrim Lane elementary crosswalk was a mistake. The cars now drive 40+ trough a residential neighborhood unimpeded. Lots of families with small kids and they still use the park when the weather is good. There is also a lot of pedestrian traffic from the greenway for the apartments east of the school. They should have more stop signs just to discourage the behavior.
Annie S.
11:27 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I think roundabouts are some of the most dangerous intersections because people do NOT know how to use them. God forbid you have to worry about pedestrians and cyclists. Sadly, it's not rocket science either. Turning left, left lane - turning right, right lane - continuing on same road, either lane - yield but when it's clear, MOVE!
I used to ride my bike all over town - I didn't even own a car till I was 23. 10 years of driving later, I've learned all about why drivers get pissed at cyclists. My observation is the vast majority of cyclists do not signal turns and follow other traffic laws. If you as a cyclist believe it's acceptable for you to run a red light because your legs are your motor (and who pulls over bicycles!), then you are pretty much asking for motor vehicles to be annoyed you and perhaps even aggressive. Safety begins with the individual, and if you're taking risks like not signaling turns, not wearing light colored clothing, and using caution when approaching intersections when people ahead of you may be turning, you shouldn't cry foul.
For the record, I get angry when I see people in cars purposefully run red lights and don't signal their turns also.
Sean Hayford Oleary
11:49 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I agree about roundabouts. I find it a nightmare to cross the two Richfield roundabouts -- especially the one near Cedar, where people are focused on getting to the freeway as fast as possible, pedestrian be damned. Signaling is rare. (For the record: signal your final destination when you ENTER the roundabout -- like left if you're going to turn left -- and then signal right when you exit the roundabout. The exiting signal is particularly critical, since it guides cars on the next leg of the intersection as to if it's safe to enter.)
I'm with you on bike signaling, too -- cyclists are way too sloppy about it. The law does excuse this if both hands are necessary to continue operating the bike (like, to brake), but I don't think this is the situation most of the time. However, remember cyclists have an affirmative defense for running red lights if they stop first and yield to cross traffic. Unfortunately, many of our lights (especially in the suburbs) rely on loop detectors that do not detect cyclists consistently.
rob_h78
12:19 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I agree about roundabouts. I don't like them but that is probably more from not really dealing with them very much so when I have to drive on one its not something that I am comfortable doing.
yomammy
8:47 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Roundabouts are EASY. and much faster than stop signs or lights.
Just the typical Amerikan driver is too busy reading, texting, eating, to actually pay attention to driving. They are NOT that hard to use if everyone does it properly.
B. Martin
12:59 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Not being a Minnesota native, I feel the pedestrian right of way is ridiculous. Someone walking is much more able to stop at a corner than is a motorized vehicle with its weight. Pedestrians should always stop and look first, not just presume they should walk because traffic will stop for them.
Jessica Hendrickson
9:38 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I live on pepper ridge Ln & my home faces honey locust dr. There is only 1 stop sign here, then if you follow pepper ridge Ln to left & right of my home you will run into more problems. There are two intersections that are 4 ways with no stop signs...bus stops t all 3 intersections I mentioned. We built our home in 2000 and at the time Jasnoch const. who owns the land, & made these roads, built these homes; the co. failed to finalize road signs. They put street signs up though..after all these years I hope we can resolve these areas before our land that is suppose to be residential becomes commercial (which it shouldn't change) because the YMCA will be built soon on HoneyLocust. This building on this ? Land & bus stop areas, park, & roads, i hope will not effect our neighborhood safety more than it has. Northfield homeowners safety, is more important than adding more roads & homes.
Thank you for reading this & I hope this gets resolved before someone gets hurt...
I don't work & I am at home because of a dissability, I see these roads every day along with our children going to these intersections. If you have any questions email me..
Thank you
Hendrickson MS resident living with no improvements but trying not too anymore
John Penfield
10:41 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I would like to comment on the intersection of Hwy 7 and Woodale since the completion of constriction. The Bike Path now comes in from a steep angle on to Woodale and the South Frontage Road of Hwy 7 and crosses right there so that if you are turning South from the east bound frontage road on to Woodale. You Cannot see Cyclist in any of your mirrors and even looking over your shoulder, it's not easy to spot them, it's really bad since the work was done! This happened to me just this last Summer, a man with a child's one wheeled bike attached to the back of his bike and attached to that a toddler carrier, he was headed East and at the intersection, he not only didn't slow down or even look, he put his left hand up to the side of his head as if, as if he didn't see us, then well we wouldn't, couldn't hit him and his 2 young daughters!!!!!! I thank God I saw him, I almost didn't!!!!