2008 Woodie Awards
One year later:Broomfield Road twice as safe
U-turns, medians cut accidents from 38 to 16 at intersections
By: Phil Hornshaw
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
A year after changes were completed to West Broomfield Road on the south end of campus, the number of accidents taking place on the road has been cut by more than half.
According to the Michigan State Police's annual High Crash Intersection Report for Mount Pleasant, 16 accidents took place in 2006-07 along the campus section of Broomfield Road, down from 38 in 2005-06.
The difference is that traffic flow across the road has been eliminated, said Stan Dinius, Central Michigan University Police chief.
While several accidents were reported where East and West Campus drives formerly crossed Broomfield, the addition of medians and Michigan left turns instead of cross-traffic intersections has eliminated the potential for many crashes.
"There are no accidents being reported at those intersections because there are no more intersections," Dinius said.
Changes on Broomfield Road on the CMU side of Mission Street removed the cross-traffic intersections, replacing them with the medians and U-turns between Mission Street and South Crawford Street.
The project cost a total of $910,000, according to a CMU press release. CMU paid $655,000, $200,000 came from the Michigan Department of Transportation, and $55,000 came from the Isabella County Road Commission.
Changes to Broomfield also included additional street lights and pedestrian-activated cross walk and traffic signals.
Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management, said the changes fundamentally altered the way traffic moves down Broomfield Road, making things easier on drivers.
"The type of traffic movements have been changed - no crossing traffic or left turns at East Campus Drive and Washington Street and no left turns at West Campus Drive, so there is less for drivers to watch for when traveling through the intersections," Lawrence said.
The state police intersection reports in 2005-06 listed three Broomfield Road intersections in the top 20 most dangerous intersections in Mount Pleasant. The intersection of East Broomfield and Washington Street was listed as No. 16 with 10 accidents; No. 13 was West Broomfield and West Campus Drive with 11 accidents; and East Broomfield and East Campus Drive was listed No. 7 with 17 accidents.
In 2006-07, the cross-traffic intersections of West Broomfield and West Campus and East Broomfield and Washington had been eliminated. The intersection of East Broomfield and East Campus ranked No. 11, with 12 accidents.
The most dangerous intersection for both years was East Broomfield and Mission Street, with 61 in 2006-07 and 55 in 2005-06.
Lawrence said a traffic study currently is being conducted for the rest of campus that may identify other changes to be made to CMU streets and intersections. CMU Police are participating in the study, Dinius said, but he did not know when the study might be finished.
"It's not going to be a quick thing," Dinius said.
news@cm-life.com
According to the Michigan State Police's annual High Crash Intersection Report for Mount Pleasant, 16 accidents took place in 2006-07 along the campus section of Broomfield Road, down from 38 in 2005-06.
The difference is that traffic flow across the road has been eliminated, said Stan Dinius, Central Michigan University Police chief.
While several accidents were reported where East and West Campus drives formerly crossed Broomfield, the addition of medians and Michigan left turns instead of cross-traffic intersections has eliminated the potential for many crashes.
"There are no accidents being reported at those intersections because there are no more intersections," Dinius said.
Changes on Broomfield Road on the CMU side of Mission Street removed the cross-traffic intersections, replacing them with the medians and U-turns between Mission Street and South Crawford Street.
The project cost a total of $910,000, according to a CMU press release. CMU paid $655,000, $200,000 came from the Michigan Department of Transportation, and $55,000 came from the Isabella County Road Commission.
Changes to Broomfield also included additional street lights and pedestrian-activated cross walk and traffic signals.
Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management, said the changes fundamentally altered the way traffic moves down Broomfield Road, making things easier on drivers.
"The type of traffic movements have been changed - no crossing traffic or left turns at East Campus Drive and Washington Street and no left turns at West Campus Drive, so there is less for drivers to watch for when traveling through the intersections," Lawrence said.
The state police intersection reports in 2005-06 listed three Broomfield Road intersections in the top 20 most dangerous intersections in Mount Pleasant. The intersection of East Broomfield and Washington Street was listed as No. 16 with 10 accidents; No. 13 was West Broomfield and West Campus Drive with 11 accidents; and East Broomfield and East Campus Drive was listed No. 7 with 17 accidents.
In 2006-07, the cross-traffic intersections of West Broomfield and West Campus and East Broomfield and Washington had been eliminated. The intersection of East Broomfield and East Campus ranked No. 11, with 12 accidents.
The most dangerous intersection for both years was East Broomfield and Mission Street, with 61 in 2006-07 and 55 in 2005-06.
Lawrence said a traffic study currently is being conducted for the rest of campus that may identify other changes to be made to CMU streets and intersections. CMU Police are participating in the study, Dinius said, but he did not know when the study might be finished.
"It's not going to be a quick thing," Dinius said.
news@cm-life.com
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