OKC's top 10 most dangerous intersections:

1. N.W. Expressway and Belle Isle Blvd.
2. N.W. Expressway and Rockwell
3. N.W. Expressway and Portland
4. N.W. Expressway and N.W. 63rd St.
5. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (east side)
6. N.W. Expressway and Pennsylvania Ave.
7. N.W. 39th Expressway and Meridian
8. N. MacArthur and Reno Ave.
9. S. Western Ave. and S.W. 59th St.
10. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (west side)

5 of these are within a mile of my house. The rest I travel through at least once a week. I agree about #1. They need to change it to make it safer.

I cannot imagine any of these intersections being improved. OKC doesn't seem to like doing such things.

The biggest problem with all the NW Expressway intersections is people driving like idiots. If drivers would use their heads and understand that you don't need to drive like the Busch brothers the intersections wouldn't be a problem.

I agree with SoonerSoftail, but I must say that everytime I approach #4 on the list, from the west, on 63rd, I get a sense of dread and foreboding.

OKC's top 10 most dangerous intersections:

1. N.W. Expressway and Belle Isle Blvd.
2. N.W. Expressway and Rockwell
3. N.W. Expressway and Portland
4. N.W. Expressway and N.W. 63rd St.
5. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (east side)
6. N.W. Expressway and Pennsylvania Ave.
7. N.W. 39th Expressway and Meridian
8. N. MacArthur and Reno Ave.
9. S. Western Ave. and S.W. 59th St.
10. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (west side)
...


Seems to me the take aways from this list are
(a) stay the freak off NW expressway anytime you can do so
(b) watch out for the northside folks who came southside to enjoy some Bella Vista yum yums.

Could you share your data with me? I'd like to peruse it.

Sid,
This came from a presentation by Eric Wenger to OKC City Council this week. It is probably on the OKC site.

The biggest problem with all the NW Expressway intersections is people driving like idiots. If drivers would use their heads and understand that you don't need to drive like the Busch brothers the intersections wouldn't be a problem.
Most of those intersections are pretty wide open with good visibility, it's the people creating the problems and probably 99% of the problems are red light runners.

I was in a wreck at #5 on Wednesday night after I got off work. Currently borrowing cars until my insurance can figure out which direction they're going to go on my car...

Agreed about the red light runners. You know what's an easy way to fix that? Put in red-light cameras. Start charing for them where they know they'll get caught, and that'll get you.

Also delay the onset of the green in the opposite direction. If you know people are running it, then pad it a little. It's one thing to say "they shouldn't", but if in practicality, they are, then why not do something to help it?

We have red light cameras here and we had a few in Austin, they don't really do a thing other than make some money for cities, and most of the time they don't make much. Stories about people who get a ton of red light camera tickets and never pay them because the majority of them a civil violations with none of the penalties associated with a normal ticket issued by an officer. This is because they are mostly privately owned to get around current statutes on the books. All that can be done is to sue them in civil court by the company who owns the cameras. In most markets they are an abject failure in terms of safety.

Seems to me the take aways from this list are
(a) stay the freak off NW expressway anytime you can do so
(b) watch out for the northside folks who came southside to enjoy some Bella Vista yum yums.

The results should not be surprising since it is ranked by total accidents. These intersections daytime volume low is higher than the peak volume of most city intersections.

The biggest problem with all the NW Expressway intersections is people driving like idiots.

And one particular idiocy at Belle Isle and at Penn: running a red light. I have never been through there during the afternoon rush without someone flooring it at two seconds past yellow, and I've lived in this neck of the woods for nine years.

Maybe its time to just lock NW Expressway down and redesign it as a limited access highway.

Is anyone surprised that a road the size of NWExpwy would have the most accidents? My fellow New Urbanist have been making the argument for awhile now that wider roads that allow faster speeds result in more accidents.

Our drivers are too bad in OKC because the rest of the drivers are too friendly.

You run a red light, no one says anything to you.
You cut someone off, no one says anything to you.
You merge onto the highway at 25 mph, no one honks.
You cut across 3 lanes of traffic without looking, no one honks.
You sit at the light for the entire cycle while the light is green, no one honks.

In other cities, drivers are much more attentive and follow the rules and generally all keep the traffic flow because they know they will get honked and yelled at if they don't. Here, bad drivers are not held accountable by their fellow motorists and therefore continue to drive like they are the only ones on the street.

Our drivers are too bad in OKC because the rest of the drivers are too friendly.

You run a red light, no one says anything to you.
You cut someone off, no one says anything to you.
You merge onto the highway at 25 mph, no one honks.
You cut across 3 lanes of traffic without looking, no one honks.
You sit at the light for the entire cycle while the light is green, no one honks.

In other cities, drivers are much more attentive and follow the rules and generally all keep the traffic flow because they know they will get honked and yelled at if they don't. Here, bad drivers are not held accountable by their fellow motorists and therefore continue to drive like they are the only ones on the street.

Indeed. I love my horn, but I didn't grow up here. :)

The highway merging is a huge pet peeve of mine. If you aren't going to yield to oncoming traffic, then get up to speed because I shouldn't have to slow down or stop for you.

Excellent points by all. Especially regarding the effectiveness of red light cameras.

A few years ago, I had a job a small portion of which involved driving U.S. Government vehicles. In order to be "certified" to drive them we all had to take a couple of "vehicle safety training classes" that were led by an "old school" driver's education instructor. I thought he did an excellent job overall and one thing that he said during the training has stayed with me right up to today: "When you ask somebody at the wheel what they are doing you might get replies along the lines of, 'I'm going to the store' . . . 'I'm running some errands' . . . 'I'm taking the kids to the park' . . . 'etc.'. The only correct answer to that question is, 'I am operating a motor vehicle.'

I've said it before and I will say it again: Most people on the road don't actually drive They simply steer.
(and many of them seem to be nearly incapable of doing even that!).

I always felt the my learning to ride a motorcycle at an early age (9) was instrumental in my development as a driver. We went trail riding every weekend, usually out at Draper and sometimes at what is now Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge. We had to learn to be hyper aware of your surroundings and a screw up (not just of your own) could have consequences. Back then Draper was wide open, no one-way trails, you just found a trail and went. You would run across riders going the other way and had to deal with traffic at speed. I got my MC license at 14 and learned to deal with traffic on the road early without the "safety cocoon" that most people learn in, self preservation and true "defensive driving" seem to only be learned when you aren't operating in an airbag bubble.

I always felt the my learning to ride a motorcycle at an early age (9) was instrumental in my development as a driver. We went trail riding every weekend, usually out at Draper and sometimes at what is now Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge. We had to learn to be hyper aware of your surroundings and a screw up (not just of your own) could have consequences. Back then Draper was wide open, no one-way trails, you just found a trail and went. You would run across riders going the other way and had to deal with traffic at speed. I got my MC license at 14 and learned to deal with traffic on the road early without the "safety cocoon" that most people learn in, self preservation and true "defensive driving" seem to only be learned when you aren't operating in an airbag bubble.I agree. I learned to ride about the same age. Rode Draper a lot, rode at a place we had at Eufala. I've had road bikes since I was 14. Now, at 53 I put about 3 times the miles per year on the bike than I do the car. Riding definitely makes you a better driver. If you aren't hyper attentive every ride on a bike that ride might be your last.

The traffic problems on NW Expressway were one of the main reasons we moved out of a very nice NW OKC neighborhood. In addition to the traffic issues were the "Fast and Furious" style motorcycle races every weekend at 1:00 AM. I like where we live now, but I still miss my great neighbors over there.

This list is going to change due to City Council's requests for further information... Don't put much stock into it.

The list was a simple compilation of total collision data - NOT modified by Average Daily Traffic count nor by accident severity, and it also did not take into account pedestrian safety.

NW Expressway has many accidents because it's a very busy street. Wait until PW revises the list to make any further judgments.

For how many cars NWExpressway sees every day, I'd garner that it has less accidents per capita than many other streets.

And because of the nature of OKC streets (grid, with only occasional outliers) I don't know that you can really blame the streets for accidents that happen here. The worst intersection I deal with on a regular basis is 23rd/Western turning left off Western (either direction) because it's usually pretty busy and there are no arrows. And that's not that bad. Drivers just need to learn to pay better attention.

This list is going to change due to City Council's requests for further information... Don't put much stock into it.

The list was a simple compilation of total collision data - NOT modified by Average Daily Traffic count nor by accident severity, and it also did not take into account pedestrian safety.

NW Expressway has many accidents because it's a very busy street. Wait until PW revises the list to make any further judgments.

Does the list take into account interstates, or only city streets not affected by highway numbering?

Does the list take into account interstates, or only city streets not affected by highway numbering?

This was done for the City, so I believe they left out interstates.

OKC's top 10 most dangerous intersections:

1. N.W. Expressway and Belle Isle Blvd.
2. N.W. Expressway and Rockwell
3. N.W. Expressway and Portland
4. N.W. Expressway and N.W. 63rd St.
5. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (east side)
6. N.W. Expressway and Pennsylvania Ave.
7. N.W. 39th Expressway and Meridian
8. N. MacArthur and Reno Ave.
9. S. Western Ave. and S.W. 59th St.
10. N.W. Expressway and Lake Hefner Parkway (west side)

5 of these are within a mile of my house. The rest I travel through at least once a week. I agree about #1. They need to change it to make it safer.

I work at the IBC bank building on 63rd and Expressway and I drive through the intersection of Expressway and Portland twice, sometimes four times a day. After work I drive south on Portland and nine times out of ten AT LEAST four cars turn through the intersection going northbound on Portland to westbound on Expressway. I, personally, have almost gotten into three wrecks at that intersection because people roll through the light without any regard for who they are putting in danger. If you want to fix that intersection, it is very simple: instead of having a green light after the arrow, make it a red light and pull them over if they run it.

That does it. I'm gonna start using my horn more often. :P

Seriously, I hate that people just straight up run red lights with no consequences at all. Can't they adjust the timing or something to help with this?

That does it. I'm gonna start using my horn more often. :P

Seriously, I hate that people just straight up run red lights with no consequences at all. Can't they adjust the timing or something to help with this?I don't think timing could fix stupid. I was on the way home from one day last week, eastbound on SW 59th, sitting at a red light at Portland. Two cars turned left in front of me at least three to four seconds after my light had turned green. That meant that their turn light had to have been yellow for a few seconds before that. Or when they were some distance from the intersection. Timing wasn't the problem. Two idiot drivers was the problem.

I don't think timing could fix stupid. I was on the way home from one day last week, eastbound on SW 59th, sitting at a red light at Portland. Two cars turned left in front of me at least three to four seconds after my light had turned green. That meant that their turn light had to have been yellow for a few seconds before that. Or when they were some distance from the intersection. Timing wasn't the problem. Two idiot drivers was the problem.
Started noticing this in Dallas a couple years ago. . .and not on just left turns. .on going straight as well. A friend says she always a couple seconds after to light turns red because someone almost always runs through the interection. Have noticed it happening a lot here lately :mad:

Yeah, it's a good thing I pay attention while sitting at a light, otherwise I'd have gotten smashed into by one of these light-running types by now. Can't wait five minutes? Then leave earlier! Though, honestly, it's probably not that people are late, it's just that they're impatient and inconsiderate. Turn some music on and chill out. Geez.

I don't think timing could fix stupid. I was on the way home from one day last week, eastbound on SW 59th, sitting at a red light at Portland. Two cars turned left in front of me at least three to four seconds after my light had turned green. That meant that their turn light had to have been yellow for a few seconds before that. Or when they were some distance from the intersection. Timing wasn't the problem. Two idiot drivers was the problem.

I would bet a dollar that at least one of them was in Cellphoneland.
(and i don't gamble. or gambol for that matter.)

Can we just offer people who are late some kind of express light and charge them an outrageous fee to use it. Install PikePass scanners on those lanes and if you choose to use it, you will pay a pretty penny but might not be late.

Sorry, couldn't help myself. :)Ha. I can imagine that now. OKC opens first express light change. For 10 seconds when the light turns purple, cars from every way are allowed to speed through the intersection at the risk of colliding with one another for $10 while the "good" drivers can sit and watch(Paramedics will be on standby with a tow truck at every light).

Exactly! You added more details I overlooked.

Can we also temporarily suspend jaywalking laws as well during the purple light? There are a lot of daredevils that might take to purple-light walking rather than say skydiving.Aha. After we do that... we could be talking signing deals with Tru TV.. starring the absolutely most stupid people and there insane crashes. OKC could also charge people to sit a bleachers overlooking the intersection. :)

Ha. I can imagine that now. OKC opens first express light change. For 10 seconds when the light turns purple, cars from every way are allowed to speed through the intersection at the risk of colliding with one another for $10 while the "good" drivers can sit and watch(Paramedics will be on standby with a tow truck at every light).

Not a good idea. It's not just the people running the red light and leaving on a green that are in danger.

WfjqMuR8oYo

Lets see... we could spend an unecessary large amounts of money putting up steel barricades that retract into the ground when the light turns green..But you would then have to create an entire special lane for the red light runners...lol.. But on serious note, that was insane. I ran a red light(actually trying to beat it) trying to get to the hospital and T-boned someone and I am soooo thankful she is alright and I will never do it again. I bet that guy will never get insured again.

When I used to drive to work in Tampa I had to do something to avoid an accident every day - no joke - every single day. It is one of the main reasons I don't like driving anymore. All the goofballs out there took the fun out of it.

When I used to drive to work in Tampa I had to do something to avoid an accident every day - no joke - every single day. It is one of the main reasons I don't like driving anymore. All the goofballs out there took the fun out of it.Yeah I've heard some crazy things about driving in Florida. lol

We have red light cameras here and we had a few in Austin, they don't really do a thing other than make some money for cities, and most of the time they don't make much. Stories about people who get a ton of red light camera tickets and never pay them because the majority of them a civil violations with none of the penalties associated with a normal ticket issued by an officer. This is because they are mostly privately owned to get around current statutes on the books. All that can be done is to sue them in civil court by the company who owns the cameras. In most markets they are an abject failure in terms of safety.

I was in San Diego recently and there was a news story complaining about these as well....for this very reason. Although for me, I don't understand why they need to be owned or managed by anyone other than the city. Why not bond issue the purchase, then send the cash right to the city and bypass the third party. In SDG, the tickets were $250or something but the city only saw like $25 from it. One of them was at the first light people come to when they come in from the airport/docks, so the mayor was really trying to get rid of it...."Welcome to San Diego, here's your $250 ticket for getting stuck in a busy intersection".

On one side, well if you get a ticket, you deserved it....you ran it. In SDG, they review 100% of them, and agree with the system 98% of the time, and only issue tickets after the review. So people don't really get to argue against it unless they go to court to do it. I will say, when i came across an intersection that had the signage about it being a "red-light camera" intersection, i for sure paid more attention to how "yellow" the light was and was far less likely to fudge it at all.

Three Motorists Suing City Over Red-Light Cameras « CBS New York (http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/04/three-motorists-suing-new-york-city-over-red-light-cameras/)


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Red-light cameras are gaining popularity across the country. Now, New York City is being sued after it was accused of rigging the lights to catch more drivers and write more tickets.

...

By federal law, drivers have to have enough time to get through a yellow light — three seconds at the typical 30 mph intersection. Back in October, engineers at AAA New York discovered a problem. At some intersections with the cameras, the yellow lights were almost a half-second too fast.



For example

The light is supposed to stay yellow for three seconds. If your front tires are in the intersection when the light turns red you won't get a ticket for running a red light. You might could get a ticket for failure to clear an interestion but that is a different matter. But NYC was setting the light to turn red after 2.5 seconds, in violation of federal law. Thus, they were catching people in that 1/2 second window who thought they had time get through on yellow.

From Balitmore...

Baltimore issued speed camera ticket to car stopped at red light - baltimoresun.com (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/sun-investigates/bs-md-speed-camera-stopped-car-20121212,0,6559038.story)


The Baltimore City speed camera ticket alleged that the four-door Mazda wagon was going 38 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone — and that owner Daniel Doty owed $40 for the infraction.

But the Mazda wasn't speeding.

It wasn't even moving.

The two photos printed on the citation as evidence of speeding show the car was idling at a red light with its brake lights illuminated

...

The Sun recently published an investigation focusing on the city's speed camera program, which has generated more than $48 million since it began three years ago. The investigation found that citations can be inaccurate and that judges routinely throw out tickets for a range of problems.

The Sun has also shown that it is impossible for motorists to verify the alleged speeds with the information printed on tickets issued by Baltimore County, Howard County and the State Highway Administration.

Since the articles' publication, several lawmakers have called for changes to the state law that governs the way the city and other jurisdictions operate speed camera programs. Gov. Martin O'Malley said Tuesday that state law bars contractors from being paid based on the number of citations issued or paid — an approach used by Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County and elsewhere.

That's one reason why a person review all tickets in SDG before they are issued. They have a 95+% rate of refusing contention of a ticket there because of that review process. Something like that would not have made it to a ticket there.