Slog - Comments on Seattle's Most Dangerous Intersections http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1 The P-I has a cool map of bike crash hot-spots, and an update on the Bicycle Master Plan machinations. Worst intersection in Seattle for bike crashes? Northeast Blakely Street and 25th Avenue Northeast, although the Second Avenue bike lane also gets a lot of notice (and scorn). At the bottom of the P-I article there's a note to readers mentioning that the draft Bicycle Master Plan will be available online at the end of this month. Not mentioned: A near-final draft is already available online here.... Copyright 2008 Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:50:38 -0800 Sat, 09 Dec 2006 10:20:22 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by giantladysquirrels From the "damned lies and statistics" department: Just because Blakely and 25th has the most crashes, that doesn't make it the most dangerous intersection (as the P-I proclaims it to be.) It just happens to have the most cyclists riding there, thanks to its location on the Burke. There are many more dangerous intersections in town... they just have fewer accidents because they have fewer cyclists passing through.

]]> giantladysquirrels http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556161 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556161 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:00:58 -0800 Comment by Eli Sanders There are many more dangerous intersections in town...

I'm curious: Which intersections do you guys think are the most dangerous?

]]> Eli Sanders http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556162 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556162 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:04:31 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Stone Way and 50th (a five-way).

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556168 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556168 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:13:22 -0800 Comment by chris yep 25th and blakely is nuts. it's tough to make a right turn there. there's always at least one bicyclist going for it. that'd be a great place for a bridge, if they didn't cost $1million.

]]> chris http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556178 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556178 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:36:31 -0800 Comment by elswinger I'd like see a corresponding map of pedestrian fatalities. I'd swear one of the most dangerous spots is 145th and Lake City.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556183 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556183 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:43:17 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Giantlady is right, we need to ask two questions:

1. Where do people bike and how many are there at each intersection?

2. Where are there reported and unreported crashes at intersections?

Knowing 2 without 1 artificially inflates heavy bike traffic spots to get more attention, while not dealing with the medium or low traffic super-dangerous spots.

And I thought you got 10 points per ped at 145th and Lake City Way - most times you only get 5 points for hitting a ped, so when you're driving, you go for the point-rich spots.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556189 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556189 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:50:01 -0800 Comment by DOUG. It's not really an intersection but the 3-way northbound merge on the north side of the University Bridge is terrible.

]]> DOUG. http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556197 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556197 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:00:08 -0800 Comment by Jeff Why are people so insistent we make Seattle a bike friendly city? Who out there doesn't enjoy a 45 minute commute to travel 4-6 miles to and from work everyday? It seems silly to try and persuade people that cycling could be one of many options to help ease gridlock. I mean come on, what's next? Is the city going to advocate that people who work downtown should ride buses?

]]> Jeff http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556198 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556198 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:02:53 -0800 Comment by Jeff Hey my "" tag did not show up!

]]> Jeff http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556200 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556200 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:04:08 -0800 Comment by golob I really hate the stretch of Fairview from Eastlake to the Hutch.

The merge ramps for the University Bridge are also miserable.

But 25th and Blakley is a mess. So is the Burke crossing on the UW campus just to the south. The cars come barreling down a huge hill and are not required to stop. Many do, but there have been some really close calls for me.

And Jeff, right on! There should be a death penalty for minorly inconveniencing drivers, right?


]]> golob http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556383 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556383 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:23:39 -0800 Comment by Jeff My sarcasm tag did not show up. Sue me.

]]> Jeff http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556392 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556392 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:36:14 -0800 Comment by golob Heh. My "not getting it" one didn't either. ;p

apologies.

]]> golob http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556397 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556397 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:42:32 -0800 Comment by Jude Fawley I remember when the intersection on the south side of the University bridge was a four-way stop - no light. Now that was dangerous. Not that that helps.

]]> Jude Fawley http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556510 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556510 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:58:20 -0800 Comment by Jude Fawley I will add though, that Roosevelt/11th is an all in all scary ride, northbound our southbound, between 45th St and Romios. On the way down it is fun -- is kind of like a video game -- but I feel like I could die any moment. On the way up, as others mentioned, those multiple turnoffs are scary. Prime street for a bike lane?

]]> Jude Fawley http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556525 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556525 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:01:03 -0800 Comment by DOUG. Jude... I'm not sure if it's in the plan, but that stretch of Roosevelt might be a prime spot for a sharrow. Bikes can pretty much ride the speed limit down that hill and should be allowed to occupy a lane until it hits the bridge.

]]> DOUG. http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556616 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c556616 City Fri, 08 Dec 2006 15:11:52 -0800 Comment by Doink "So is the Burke crossing on the UW campus just to the south. The cars come barreling down a huge hill and are not required to stop. Many do, but there have been some really close calls for me."


At this crossing, bicycles have a stop sign. That means cars don't have to stop, you do. More bikers need to get used to the idea that in a busy city with multiuse roads, sometimes you have to stop for traffic.

]]> Doink http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c558903 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c558903 City Sat, 09 Dec 2006 03:33:34 -0800 Comment by ivan Doink @ 10:

Stop signs do not apply to bicyclists. Bicyclists are above the law. Bicyclists are saving the world from global warming, and therefore they are better human beings than people who drive cars are. So don't even suggest such a thing.

]]> ivan http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c560107 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/12/seattles_most_danger_1#c560107 City Sat, 09 Dec 2006 10:20:22 -0800