A Stark County road study highlights the top 10 most hazardous intersections.
The 146-page Stark County Area Transportation Study finished a draft of the annual "Crash Report and Safety Work Plan". It compiles vehicle crash reports, including a hazard ranking for intersections.
The most dangerous intersection based on data from 2015, 2016 and 2017 is Louisville Street and Union Avenue NE in Washington Township.
OHDOT spokesperson Brent Kovacs told News 5 they installed a traffic light at this intersection this year, and it will likely move down on the list.
Stark County Traffic Engineer Dan Slicker helped put the study together. He said the results were not surprising, adding these intersections have stayed high in the rankings for some time.
He said intersections in the county are safer than ever, but there are still improvements to be made.
Just a few years ago, the county averaged 12,000 to 13,000 accidents yearly. The number is down to 10,000.
"If you go back to our crash reports from 20 years ago, the intersections at the top of that list are no longer on our list anymore," Slicker said. "We're slowly making improvements."
To figure out the rankings of the intersections, engineers looked at the severity of crashes, traffic volume and the number of crashes to produce a hazard rating.
Here is the top 10 list according to the Stark County Area Transportation Study report from October 2018:
1. Louisville Street NE (Route 153)/Union Avenue NE (Route 183); Washington Township
2. Everhard Road NW/Whipple Avenue NW; Jackson & Plain townships
3. State Route 21/Lake Avenue NW, Route 236; Massillon
4. U.S. Route 62/Harmont Avenue NE, Lesh Street NE; Canton
5. Tuscarawas Street W/Perry Drive; Perry Township
6. State Route 21/Walnut Road SW; Massillon
7. I-77 Northbound ramps, Mercy Drive NW/12th & 13th streets NW; Canton
8. I-77, Belden Village Street NW/Whipple Avenue NW; Jackson Township
9. Fulton Drive NW/Everhard Road NW; Jackson Township
10. Dressler Road NW/Everhard Road NW; Jackson Township
