Stark County has a new No. 1 most dangerous intersection. See where it is

CANTON − Stark County has a new top dangerous intersection.

Twelfth Street NW and Market Avenue N in Canton is now ranked as the most hazardous intersection based on crash statistics for 2020 to 2022, according to the Stark County Area Transportation Study. It was No. 2 last year and No. 9 in 2021.

But traffic engineers don't know why this traffic hub has seen so many accidents.

In 2020, the intersection had 25 crashes, including a fatal collision with a pickup and motorcycle that led to the death of a 27-year-old motorcyclist. The following year, there were 22 crashes. But then the number mysteriously plunged to nine in 2022, according to the recently released Stark County Area Transportation Study's 2022 crash report.

The agency calculates the ratings by looking at the number of crashes at an intersection, number of injury crashes, number of fatal crashes and the number of crashes per million vehicles of average daily traffic for the past three calendar years. From 2020 to 2022, the 12th and Market intersection had 2.83 crashes per million vehicles going through, the highest rate among the top 10 intersections.

Many of the intersections in the top 10 have been on the list for years, while some have undergone construction to improve safety, and it may take some time for them drop off the top 10 list. Five of the most hazardous intersections are located around the Belden Village Mall and Strip shopping areas, while three are located in Canton.

Why is 12th Street NW and Market Avenue N the most dangerous intersection in Stark County?

From 2014 to 2016, Canton expanded 12th and Market as part of a massive project that included upgraded traffic signals and new northbound and southbound left turn lanes.

Nick Loukas, a traffic engineer for the Canton Engineer's Office, said his leading theory is that the surges in crashes there were somehow related to the pandemic. He said during 2020 and 2021, motorists tended to drive at higher speeds, adding that perhaps drivers were distracted by smartphones, too.

Loukas said for now, the city doesn't plan any improvements to the intersection.

"We wanted to let the thing play out a little bit and not overreact to a three-year span," Loukas said. “We’re hoping that was a bit of an anomaly for a couple of years and we’re hoping to get back to the norm."

Dan Slicker, the technical director of the Stark County Area Transportation Study, also is uncertain why there was a jump in accidents.

“That was very strange when they redid the intersection," he said. "The accidents were down for four to five years there. But all of a sudden it jumped up in 2020, 2021."

Motorist: 'Honestly, a lot of people don't know how to drive.'

Janya Bradley, 21, of Canton who recently was getting gas at the BP station on the northeast corner of 12th Street NE and Market Avenue N, has a theory on why there have been so many accidents.

"Honestly, a lot of people don't know how to drive," she said, suggesting people might become impatient with waiting for traffic lights to turn green. "People aren't paying attention. Honestly, that is what it is."

But she also believes there's a more dangerous area than 12th and Market, saying she has seen more accidents on Tuscarawas Street.

Nate Mayle, 25, of Canton, who was getting air recently for his tires at the Tire Choice on the intersection's northwest corner, agreed with Bradley that drivers don't pay enough attention.

"It's like they don't care to look," he said.

As to whether the pandemic was behind the surge in crashes, Mayle said, "Maybe people weren't driving as much. And when they got back behind the wheel they just forgot how to drive."

Slicker said local governments can only do so much to reduce the number of crashes at hazardous intersections because intersections with high volumes of traffic will inevitably have some number of accidents.

“It’s pretty much the same intersections we’ve been looking at for the last few years," he said. "For the most part, there have been high traffic intersections where you’re going to have crashes there because of the high traffic volumes. For most of them, the crash rate isn’t that high. It’s right around two (crashes per million vehicles) or below so there’s not much you can do to significantly improve things unless you're going to do something radically expensive.”

Stark County Area Transportation Study 2022 Crash Report by Rick Armon on Scribd

Where are the other hazardous intersections in Stark County?

Here are the other intersections on the top 10 hazard rating list for Stark County and what's being done to address their issues:

No. 2 most dangerous intersection: U.S. Route 62 and Harmont Avenue/Lesh Street

U.S. Route 62 and Harmont Avenue/Lesh Street NE in Canton has been near or at the top of the hazardous intersection list for years, with 86 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

The problem involves the access roads of Commercial Road NE and Lesh Street NE intersecting Harmont close to Route 62. That increases the chances of an accident.

The intersection has had 26 to 31 accidents per year the last three years and two serious-injury accidents.

Loukas said his office has not been able to figure out a way to improve the intersection without significantly blocking access by motorists to surrounding businesses.

"There's not an obviously easy solution to it," he said. "That's a big reason we haven't done anything."

Slicker said SCATS has hired consultant Environmental Design Group, which has an office in Akron, for nearly $49,000 to assess options for the intersection. The assessment will take about nine months.

No. 3 most dangerous intersection: U.S. Route 30/Trump Avenue and state Route 172

U.S. Route 30/Trump Avenue and state Route 172 in Canton Township saw 70 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has upgraded the traffic signal and vehicle detection equipment and more clearly marked turn lanes. The intersection is on ODOT's list to be expanded but there's no timeline or funding lined up yet, said Justin Chesnic, a spokesman for ODOT District 4.

No. 4 most dangerous intersection: State Route 172 and Perry Drive

State Route 172 and Perry Drive in Perry Township had 71 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

Chesnic said ODOT last year attempted to reduce traffic congestion by adding a right turn lane from westbound Route 172 or Tuscarawas Street W to northbound Perry Drive NW and replaced traffic signals in hopes of reducing the number of crashes.

No 5 most dangerous intersection: Portage Street NW and Strip Avenue NW

Portage Street NW and Strip Avenue NW in Jackson Township had 65 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

In a $2.4 million project completed this summer designed to upgrade Portage from Frank Avenue NW east to Interstate 77, contractors changed the lane configuration so there is a right lane going east on Portage allowing motorists to go all the way on that lane to I-77, said Stark County Engineer Keith Bennett.

A small right turn lane to Strip Avenue was added.

No. 6 most dangerous intersection: Interstate 77 and Belden Street NW/Whipple Avenue NW

I-77 and Belden Street NW/Whipple Avenue NW in Jackson Township/Plain Township had 85 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

The intersection has an average daily traffic volume of about 39,750, with a crash rating of 1.95 crashes per million vehicles. Bennett indicated that because the traffic volume is so high, there's nothing that can be done to improve the intersection to prevent the number of crashes. He also blamed more drivers being distracted by their smartphones.

No. 7 most dangerous intersection: Everhard Road NW and Whipple Avenue NW

Everhard Road NW and Whipple Avenue NW in Jackson Township/Plain Township had 86 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

The intersection was significantly widened with additional turn lanes in 2018 and 2019. Crashes went from 28 in 2020 to 38 in 2021, before backing down to 20 last year. Bennett wonders if it was a pandemic-related trend that was an anomaly, and he would like to see a few more years of crash statistics before taking any action.

The intersection has the highest traffic volume in the county at an average of 41,975 vehicles a day, with a crash rating of 1.87 crashes per million vehicle.

No. 8 most dangerous intersection: 15th Street NE and Walnut Avenue NE

Fifteenth Street NE and Walnut Avenue NE in Canton had 18 crashes, including one serious non-fatal injury crash, the lowest on the top 10 list. But its hazard rating is high because it has a low traffic volume of 3,250 vehicles a day, so it has a high crash rating of more than five crashes per million vehicles.

Because of its low traffic volume, upgrading this intersection isn't a high priority for planners.

No. 9 most dangerous intersection: Dressler Road NW and Everhard Road NW

Dressler Road NW and Everhard Road NW in Jackson Township had 83 crashes from 2020 to 2022.

The county engineer's office plans to hire a contractor who in 2025 will add joint left turn lanes eastbound and westbound on Everhard from Dressler and southbound from Dressler. Left turns not using designated turn lanes will be prohibited, Bennett said.

The project is in the design and land acquisition phase.

No. 10 most dangerous intersection: Frank Avenue NW and Portage Street NW

Frank Avenue NW and Portage Street NW in Jackson Township had 60 crashes from 2020 to 2022. Contractors have built center medians to prevent unsafe left turns and added left turn lanes to facilitate cars turning left to go south on Frank Road NW, Bennett said.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly known as Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: What are the most dangerous intersections in Stark County, Ohio?