New data shows the most dangerous intersections in Michigan, and how many crashes and injuries are associated with each.
Michigan Auto Law released their annual most dangerous intersections list this month, featuring the 20 most crash-prone intersections across the state. The list uses police car crash report data from 2021.
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The law firm said data shows all but one of the intersections on the top 20 list saw more total crashes vs. 2020.
“While it is disappointing news that the number of accidents has increased, it is not surprising given traffic volumes have increased as more people head back to the office to work,” said Steven Gursten, attorney and president of Michigan Auto Law.
Earlier this year, Local 4′s Grant Hermes reported on the 2020 list and why some of these intersections are so dangerous. Experts said it wasn’t just bad drivers, but the actual design of certain intersections. One of the nation’s top traffic experts, Chuck Morahn, who worked for decades as a civil engineer and urban planner before founding the group Strong Towns, a group that pushes against conventional road designs, said it’s all about design.
Many around Metro Detroit are perfect examples of what he thinks is a bad design that he calls “stroads,” a combination of streets and roads. Streets, he said, were originally designed to be places where homes or businesses would be with walkable areas and low speed traffic. Roads on the other hand were originally designed solely for getting drivers from point A to point B as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Stroads blend the two high speed traffic, upwards of 45 miles an hour, meets the entrances to businesses; and they are everywhere.
“All of that pulling in and out, randomly stopping and turning, finding yourself in the center lane and needing to get into the right lane. All of that creates sources of conflict,” Morahn said. “When you create conflict in a traffic stream, it only works at really low speeds.”
More here: These are Michigan’s most dangerous intersections. And it’s not just the bad drivers
For the 2021 list, the top three are in Macomb County, and the No. 2 intersection on the list saw a 140% increase in car crashes from 2020 to 2021.
The list: Michigan’s 20 most dangerous intersections for 2021
1. 11 MILE RD/I 696 @ VAN DYKE AVE, Warren, 173 Total Crashes, 38 Injuries
2. 10 MILE RD @ I 94, St. Clair Shores, 168 Total Crashes, 42 Injuries (This is a 140 percent increase compared to last year)
3. 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights, 168 Total Crashes, 17 Injuries (Roundabout)
4. MARTIN PKWY @ N PONTIAC TRL, Commerce Township, 140 Total Crashes, 18 Injuries (Roundabout)
5. US 131 @ WEALTHY ST, Grand Rapids, 134 Total Crashes, 26 Injuries
6. ORCHARD LAKE RD @ 14 MILE RD, Farmington Hills, 122 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries (Roundabout)
7. 12 MILE RD @ I 94, St. Clair Shores/Roseville, 121 Total Crashes, 47 Injuries
8. SCHOOLCRAFT RD @ TELEGRAPH RD, Redford Township, 104 Total Crashes, 21 Injuries
9. TELEGRAPH RD @ 12 MILE RD, Southfield, 95 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries
10. 11 MILE RD @ GRATIOT AVE E, Roseville, 92 Total Crashes, 9 Injuries
11. SOUTHFIELD RD @ W 11 MILE RD, Lathrup Village, 91 Total Crashes, 28 Injuries
12. HALL RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Utica, 86 Total Crashes, 15 Injuries
13. SAGINAW ST @ N HOMER ST, Lansing Township, 85 Total Crashes, 26 Injuries
14. DIX AVE @ M 39, Lincoln Park, 83 Total Crashes, 17 Injuries
15. STATE ST @ ELLSWORTH RD, Ann Arbor, 79 Total Crashes, 1 Injury (Roundabout)
16. MIDDLE BELT RD @ SCHOOLCRAFT RD, Livonia, 78 Total Crashes, 16 Injuries
17. FORD RD @ LILLEY RD, Canton Township, 75 Total Crashes, 32 Injuries
18. FRANKLIN ST SW @ US 131, Grand Rapids, 75 Total Crashes, 10 Injuries
19. 6 MILE RD @ I 96/I 275, Livonia, 73 Total Crashes, 19 Injuries
20. LEE RD @ WHITMORE LAKE RD, Green Oak Township, 71 Total Crashes, 5 Injuries (West Roundabout)
Source: Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit (Note: “Intersection” is defined as any road with a traffic signal, four-way stop or roundabout. The numbers include any reported crash that occurred within 250 feet of an intersection, including turnarounds and on/off ramps to highways.)