Where Are D.C.'s Worst Intersections?

WASHINGTON - The intersection of Benning Road at Minnesota Avenue in Northeast tops D.C.'s list of the intersections with the most pedestrian crashes, according to a draft study released by D.C.'s Department of Transportation.

The intersections also account for where all of the city's fatalities occurred between 1998 to 2002.

The department compiled the traffic data at the request of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations which has been tracking pedestrian safety in an effort to raise awareness about the issue.

At Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue, 13 crashes occurred during that time. It topped the list for eight years.

Both 7th Street at Pennsylvania and North Capitol Street at New York Avenue had 10 crashes each between 1998 to 2002.

Ward 6, which is heavily used by commuters coming into the city, is home to the most dangerous intersections. It saw more than 50 crashes during that time frame.

"We want to get the word out that this is not a speedway, that these are neighborhoods, where children are crossing the street on the way to school," says D.C. Council member Sharon Ambrose

DDOT spokesman Bill Rice says transportation officials are working to make intersections safer.

Here is the list of intersections with the highest number of pedestrian crashes from 1998 to 2002.

1. Benning Road and Minnesota Ave, NE -- 13 crashes
   
2. 7th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., SE -- 10 crashes
   
3. N. North Capitol Street and New York Ave., NW -- 10 crashes
   
4. 3rd Street and Florida Ave., NE -- 9 crashes
   
5. 13th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., NW -- 9 crashes
   
6. 7th Street and H Street, NW -- 9 crashes
   
7. Bladensburg Road and New York Ave., NE -- 9 crashes
   
8. East Capitol Street and Benning Road, NE -- 9 crashes
   
9. Alabama Ave. And Stanton Road, SE -- 8 crashes
   
10. Howard Road and Martin Luther King Ave., SE -- 8 crashes
    
11. 14th Street and H Street, NE -- 8 crashes
    
12. 1st Street and K Street, NE -- 8 crashes
    
13. 15th Street and I Street, NW -- 7 crashes
    
14. 16th Street and Irving Street, NW -- 7 crashes
    
15. 17th Street and K Street, NW -- 7 crashes
    
16. 7th Street and D Street, SE -- 6 crashes
    
17. Ainger Place and Alabama Ave., SE -- 6 crashes
    
18. Good Hope Road and Naylor Road, SE -- 6 crashes
    
19. N. North Capitol Street and P Street -- 6 crashes
    
20. 12th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., NW -- 6 crashes
    

During the same time frame, there were two intersections, both on Suitland Parkway near Firth Sterling and on Stanton Road that had two pedestrian fatalities each.

On a related note, an five-year traffic analysis by Dateline NBC looked at the worst roads in the nation, based on fatalities.

The data found speeding contributed to nearly one-third of the nation's traffic fatalities.

Channel 4 says the data from 1999 to 2003 found an 11-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in Prince William County to be the most dangerous for speeding. Nine people died on that stretch.

Also among the most dangerous for speeding and fatalities are Routes 1 and 50 in Fairfax County and I -66 and I-95.

"The most prevalent crashes on 95 are rear-end and run off the road," Joan Morris, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, tells WTOP.

The federal crash data finds that of the region, Maryland had the most drunken driving fatalities. The most dangerous roads for drunken driving are Route 50 in Fairfax County, University Boulevard in Montgomery County, Kenilworth Avenue and I-295 in Prince George's County and I-95/495. I-95/495 had the most fatalities, with 19.

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