Top 9 Most Dangerous Intersections For Pedestrians

Davis Street and Ridge Avenue tops the list of intersections with the greatest number of pedestrian accidents from 2009 through 2011.

There were seven incidents at that intersection in the last three years, according to Director of Public Works Suzette Robinson, who presented a report on pedestrian safety to the city council on Monday.

Robinson said that the narrow width of Ridge Avenue combined with a mail drop-off, bike lane and right turn lane just before Davis Street may be contributing factors.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on right before that intersection," she said.

To improve pedestrian visibility, public works crews will make some changes to the intersection when they resurface the road this summer, according to Robinson.    

Many of the other intersections rounding out the top nine are on Chicago Avenue, most likely because there is so much activity on that street, Robinson said.

“There’s a lot of loading and unloading with the dealerships,” she said. “There’s lots of stores, so you have a lot of pedestrian traffic as well, along with the train stations.”

Intersections With the Most Crashes Involving Pedestrians From 2009-2011:

1. Davis Street and Ridge Avenue (7 accidents)
2. Green Bay Road and Central Street (4-5 accidents)
3. Church Street and Benson Avenue (4-5 accidents)
4. Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street (4-5 accidents)
5. Chicago Avenue and Greenleaf Street (4-5 accidents)
6. Chicago Avenue and South Boulevard (4-5 accidents)
7. Sheridan Road and Emerson Street (3 accidents)
8. Chicago Avenue and Main Street (3 accidents)
9. Chicago Avenue and Howard Street (3 accidents)

Overall, car accidents involving pedestrians on public property have decreased substantially in the past several years, according to city data. In 1990, there were 104 pedestrian accidents, as compared to 66 in 2000, 67 in 2009, 55 in 2010 and 52 in 2011.

Robinson cited several possible factors for the decline, including traffic signal modernization, traffic calming measures such as bump-outs and speed humps, resurfacing of streets and better snow removal technology. 

“We think the cell phone ban has also had an impact,” Robinson said. 

To see the locations of pedestrian accidents in 2009, 2010 and 2011, as well as a map of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians, .