COLUMBUS – “Go west, young man” was the advice of a couple of 19th Century newspaper editors to those seeking their fortune. The same advice could apply to Columbus drivers trying to avoid collisions.
All 10 of the most dangerous intersections in central Ohio, according to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, are located in eastern Franklin County.
In fact, they are all located east of I-71 and a handful of roads account for nearly all of them. Three of the 10 worst intersections are along Cleveland Avenue between Hudson Street and SR 161. Broad Street, Livingston Avenue, Karl Road, Morse Road and 161 account for two apiece, many of them because they intersect with each other.
Top 10 most dangerous intersections in central Ohio (2014-2016)
1. E Livingston Ave.@ Hamilton Rd/SR 317
2. Broad St/SR 16 @ James Rd
3. Cleveland Ave @ Innis Rd
4. Karl Rd @ Morse Rd
5. Broad St @ Lancaster Ave/Reynoldsburg New Albany Rd
6. Cleveland Ave @ Dublin Granville Rd/SR 161
7. E Dublin Granville Rd/SR 161 @ Karl Rd
8. Morse Rd @ Westerville Rd/SR 3
9. E Livingston Ave/US 33 @ Alum Creek Dr
10. Cleveland Ave/SR 3 @ E Hudson St
–Source: MORPC
Click here to see the complete list
MORPC has compiled the list since 2005 in hopes of enhancing the traffic safety by understanding where crashes occur.
“These annual high-crash location lists allow us to monitor where crashes occur the most often and where people get hurt, so we can work better identify engineering, educational, and enforcement measures that help reduce these crashes,” said Jordan Whisler, a principal planner at MORPC.
The list of dangerous intersections are ranked based on a formula that consider the number of crashes, traffic volume, and severity of the crashes.
In the last five years, 521 people lost their lives due to crashes, 125 of which occurred in last year, the agency reported.