On March 1, longtime campus-area resident Hatoon Victoria
Adkins was struck and killed while trying to cross Franklin Boulevard on her bike against the crossing signal. Her death has raised concerns about the safety of the busy intersection.
The concerns are nothing new. University administrators have been talking for several years about the need for changes at the intersection to make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.
But statistics from the Oregon Department of Transportation show the intersection isn’t nearly as dangerous as people think and that accidents are often caused by pedestrian error.
ODOT spokesman Lou
Torres said the intersection is
not dangerous.
“It’s a busy intersection where undoubtedly there have been some accidents,” Torres said in an e-mail interview. “Sometimes an intersection is ‘perceived’ to be worse than it really is.”
ODOT tracks dangerous intersections using a Safety Priority Index System. The criteria for the index include the number and types of crashes at that place. The intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Onyx Street currently has a SPIS score of 27.46, well below the top 10 percent of dangerous intersections. The cut-off score for the top 10 is 44.49.
Between Jan. 1, 2000 and
July 31, 2004, there have been
22 collisions recorded by ODOT
at the intersection. Of the 22 crashes, 15 have been rear-ends, two turning, two angle, one backing, one pedestrian and one
sideswipe collision.
DPS Interim Director Thomas Hicks recorded four vehicle-bike accidents, three vehicle-pedestrian accidents and one fatality since Jan. 1, 2000.
“The intersection is controlled by traffic signs, which people need to obey,” Hicks said. “Don’t take anything for granted, but there is plenty of time to cross.”
The intersection is part of the state highway system, which makes changes much harder to implement than if the street were a University or city street.
School of Architecture and Allied Arts Dean Robert Melnick has been working for several years with University Vice President for Administration Dan Williams to create possible improvements to the intersection.
Two possibilities were an overpass or an underpass, but both have too many restraints to be considered viable options, Melnick said. An overpass would need to be at least 14 feet high and would need a wheelchair ramp. An underpass could potentially create unsafe road conditions and would be too near the millrace.
The changes with the most potential involve altering the timing of the lights at the intersection and better notifying drivers of the upcoming intersection, Melnick said.
“At one point we were able to succeed in getting the length of the light lengthened,” Melnick said. “The walk light now lasts longer. It used to be impossible to cross in one light, but it’s still not long enough, and cars still run the light.”
Melnick also suggested changing the timing of the lights so all
cars have a red light for 20 seconds to allow a pedestrian caught in the middle of the intersection to finish crossing. Melnick has also suggested putting warning lights on
the boulevard 100 to 200 feet
away so drivers are aware of the
upcoming light.
“A lot of cars go flying down Franklin and realize it’s a red light and just go through it or don’t stop in time,” Melnick said. “We need to better inform drivers.”
Because the highway isn’t a campus street DPS can’t regulate traffic, but Hicks said DPS may encourage the Eugene Police Department to raise enforcement at the intersection.
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