Accident reports reveal Janesville's most dangerous intersections
Dangerous intersections
View map of the most dangerous intersections in Janesville - Traffic incidents in Janesville from Oct. 8, 2008 through Oct. 8, 2009
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Many of Janesville's most dangerous intersections are found in one area of the city. The intersections with the most accidents tend to be along Milton Avenue, but there are others elsewhere in the city as well. Kyle Geissler reports. You can read more in Sunday's Janesville Gazette.
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JANESVILLE — Renee Hubbard, vice president of The Auto Hubb, has a view of Milton Avenue and Kettering Street from her office.
"I've seen a number of major accidents and a number of fender benders," she said. "It's a very busy intersection. I just don't think they planned the roads well."
Milton and Kettering had more traffic crashes than any other intersection in Janesville in the past year, according to data obtained from Janesville Police Department accident reports.
Thirty-three wrecks happened at the intersection, injuring 18 people, according to accident reports. Twenty-two of the crashes resulted in tickets for violations such as failure to yield or inattentive driving.
The city currently has no plans to improve Milton and Kettering, but accident reports are monitored regularly for trends and possible intersection improvements, said Dennis Ryan, Janesville's senior engineer who deals with traffic issues.
Milton and Kettering were overhauled when Walmart opened. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation approved the project.
A change to traffic lights also was made a year ago to improve the intersection, Ryan said.
"I think it's much better than it was before the Walmart project," he said. "Some people may argue with that, but I think it does a good job of handling the traffic."
Tricky intersection
Milton and Kettering have the most wrecks in Janesville for several reasons, police and city officials said.
Several lanes, including turn lanes, exist in all directions.
The intersection is a high-traffic area for commuters between Janesville and Milton. It also provides access to Sam's Club, Walmart and the Pine Tree Plaza shopping district.
The speed limit along Milton Avenue is 40 mph at the intersection, but the stoplight is the first for southbound drivers entering the city at highway speed.
Milton and Kettering also receive traffic entering and exiting Interstate 90/39. One interstate off ramp merges with Milton Avenue, where drivers have to cross several lanes to turn left at Kettering.
'Too confusing'
Jennifer Johnson has worked at Mulligan's BP gas station on Milton and Kettering for three years.
She has worked each shift and has seen wrecks at all hours of the day. She regularly hears tires screeching, honking and vehicles smacking.
"I think the lights are too confusing to people," Johnson said. "A lot of customers come in here and say this is the worst intersection there is."
Johnson, who crosses the intersection several times a day, estimates she has been nearly hit 20 times.
"You have to be a very cautious and aware driver," she said. "It doesn't matter if it's morning, noon or night."
The intersection is dangerous for anyone, but drivers from outside Janesville are at a greater risk, Johnson said.
"I come here on an everyday basis. I know to watch the intersection," she said. "If you're new to the area, you don't."
Police aware of problem
Janesville police officer Steve Carpenter has been analyzing traffic crashes for the department since 2007.
He issues reports to patrol officers every three months, listing the intersections with the most wrecks. Milton and Kettering have been flagged in his reports, he said.
Patrol officers are asked to consider increased patrol at the intersections with problems, Carpenter said.
The hope is more patrol will reduce accidents, he said.
The department didn't have specific numbers to show whether the reports have made a difference at Milton and Kettering or other intersections, Carpenter said.
But, anecdotally, they seem to have helped reduce accidents, he said.
Eyewitness to wrecks
While in her office at The Auto Hubb, Hubbard once saw a commercial pickup truck T-bone a car in the middle of Milton and Kettering.
The passenger in the car was pinned inside and bleeding from the head.
"Me and my sales girl ran out with some shop towels and were just holding them on her head," Hubbard said.
She stayed with the girl until paramedics arrived, and the girl survived, she said.
Seeing accidents at Milton and Kettering is a regular part of the week, Hubbard said.
The intersection's design is frustrating, she said.
"When I take customers for test drives, I instruct them to stay away from that intersection," Hubbard said.
Oct 20, 2009 at 11:23 a.m.
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916- I refer you back to my post previous to this one....I'm done here.
Oct 20, 2009 at 9:06 a.m.
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Truth.......Yeah--God forbid the actual definitions of these words be used to validate their usage!!!:)
Oct 20, 2009 at 6:18 a.m.
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All 5 intersections are not 90 degree connections. None of these are straight through design. It is obvious to me that this is the most outstanding fault for all, even though there may be other contributing features. I think this concern can be applied to several other dangerous intersections. Just look at a good mapping program or an aerial photo.
Oct 20, 2009 at 2:09 a.m.
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If people used their heads while driving and paid attention (instead of paying more attention to their damn cell phone) they wouldnt have as many problems with that intersection.
If you are heading north on Milton and planning to turn into walmart, rotomer rd or sams club, STAY IN THE LEFT HAND right turn lane. Almost everytime I take that way towards wally world, I always see some retard go into teh right hand right turn lane then right after the turn, swing into the left lane cutting someone off or they wait in the right lane until the last minute then slow ot a crawl until they have an opening to turn into walmart.
Similar issue on the other end of the Deefield and 14. Double right hand turn. People turn right from the right side then swing into the left lane so they can turn southbound on the I.
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:28 p.m.
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Again, dropping a 20 ounce soda on the floor may be a careless accident, the devastating results of operating a 3000 pound object in careless/reckless manner is not an "accident".
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:09 p.m.
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916WI- Yes, but if you look in the same dictionary, you'll see "careless" is not defined as "reckless", so they're NOT interchangeable as you say...You also state "the vast majority" of society accepts that most vehicle wrecks are "accidents", neither you nor I have any way of knowing that, further, many societies have "accepted" things that were blatantly wrong so thats meaningless.
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"Websters" is not going to be able to make your argument for you as much as you like to refer to it.
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:32 p.m.
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Truth.....
Websters defines "reckless" as "careless" in it's definition, so yes--according to foremost expert on the meanings of words, the two can be interchanged. I'm fairly certain that their interpretations of words would trump the definitions and examples that you offer:) We are discussing traffic "accidents"--they have been described as such by the vast majority of our society for decades--you just need to come to terms with it:) Please refer to the definition I attached........
Main Entry: reck·less
Pronunciation: \ˈre-kləs\
Function: adjective
Date: before 12th century
1 : marked by lack of proper caution : careless of consequences
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:15 p.m.
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badger4life- The walmart people aren't union, I think they'd have to be union to do that.. LOL
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:13 p.m.
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...oh, yes, and dropping a soda on the floor is not "recklessness"
Oct 19, 2009 at 8:12 p.m.
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Have Walmart put a few greeters out on the corners to direct the traffic!
Oct 19, 2009 at 7:59 p.m.
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916WI- If reckless and careless are both the same word, then why do they charge some things as "reckless endangerment" instead of "careless endangerment"?....when you figure that out, you'll also figure out that reckless and careless are not the same....dropping a soda on the floor can be from "carelessness", operating a vehicle in such a manner as to cause injury/death is recklessness, nobody dies from me dropping pop on the floor....Dropping the soda is an "accident", hurting/killing someone with a 3000 pound object is NOT an accident, 90% of the time.
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janesvillian- What you've stated is actually what most of the problem is....the "presumption of innocence" or "charging BOTH drivers when one is usually CLEARLY at fault.....incredible laziness on the part of law-enforcement/courts with very little interest in real justice.....And, actually, it is ridiculous to call it an "accident report", it should be called a motor-vehicle incident report until a court actually decides if it WAS an "accident".
Oct 19, 2009 at 7:50 p.m.
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jvldss - you are so right! Thanks for the laugh!!
Oct 19, 2009 at 5:02 p.m.
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Yes, all those lights are certainly confusing!
Green means fly through the intersection at 20 over.
Yellow means accelerate fast or, if you are over 70, slam on your brakes.
Red means you better hurry because only three more cars can make it.
Now what is so confusing about that?
Oct 19, 2009 at 3:57 p.m.
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"Reckless" and "careless" could easily be interchanged--they are basically the came word. We don't need to reinvent the wheel--these are all traffic accidents and should be described as such........
Oct 19, 2009 at 3:19 p.m.
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truth1, while as a cyclist I somewhat agree with you that motor vehicles are given too much leeway ("he just came out of nowhere"), what you're up against is the presumption of innocence. There can be no attribution of recklessness without proper criminal charges. It is possible for an accident to take place in which neither driver is charged -- although it's actually more likely for BOTH drivers to be charged with something. But the form has to cover all situations, and the title of the form should not be itself conclusory.
Oct 19, 2009 at 1:11 p.m.
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....and reckless behavior is deliberate.
Oct 19, 2009 at 1:09 p.m.
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916WI- Maybe, but as I've said before .....the phrases "reckless" and "reckless disregard for human life" do not appear in the definition of "accident".
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I completely disagree with your assessment.. "Reckless behavior" fits most of these incidents, and reckless behavior is much more than just an "unfortunate occurrence".
Oct 19, 2009 at 12:59 p.m.
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Truth.......The definition of accident is "an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance".......I would definitely characterize the vast majority of traffic accidents to fall within that description......
Oct 19, 2009 at 12:49 p.m.
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The first thing they need to do is get the word "accident" off of the paperwork.
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"Motor-Vehicle Incident Report" would be the proper title.
Oct 19, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.
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ha ha ha, I see speed is counted as a cause in "2" of the incidents on the pie-chart, but inattentive driving is counted as the "cause" in "11".....speed was most likely ALSO another cause in in most of the other categories too, I'm sure it wasn't just "2".....thats a joke
Oct 19, 2009 at 12:02 p.m.
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Problem is that it seems to be "allowed" to break laws, injure, kill, and do property damage with a motor vehicle....Doing this with other objects gets the attention of the law and court.....Even the paperwork on these incidents is *automatically* called an "accident" report, ....Oh yes, I couldn't stop in time because I was "accidently" going 15 over the limit when I hit the other car, or I "accidently" ran the red light and hit the other car even when it was yellow WAY before I got there..I killed someone, but the alcohol "accidently" ran down my throat before I got in the car.
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Yeah, all "accidents" to put on an "accident report"....NOT.
Oct 19, 2009 at 10:49 a.m.
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Way too many people in this city run red lights no matter what intersection it is. How many of you have to actually sit and wait a few moments after your light turns green for all the yahoos still turning in front of you? Granted other cities/states have a little bit longer yellow light to account for them but something seriously needs fixed in Janesville. There are some of the worst drivers here when it comes to ignoring yellow/red lights. And what I can't figure out is why they're in such a hurry to get nowhere.
Oh and this article says people are entering the intersection at highway speed from Milton?... that 55 mph turns to 45 mph before turning to 40 at the signal. How is that highway speed?
Oct 19, 2009 at 10:41 a.m.
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Hannah - I think you mean BTW.
Oct 19, 2009 at 10:34 a.m.
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The base of the problem there is people merging off the interstate and having to change lanes while others are merging over to get to Walmart. They need a stop light for the traffic coming off the interstate.
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:22 a.m.
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Bad planning on the part of the engineers for the COJ. It doesn't take a civil engineer to see this is the case. Common sense was shoveled out the door when WalMart came into this project. This intersection needs to be redesigned quickly. Too bad the article doesn't mention the dangers of the near impossible safe entrance/exit from the interstate at this intersection.
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:13 a.m.
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NO........Please show me where I said someone was stupid? Please show me!
Oct 19, 2009 at 9:06 a.m.
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I agree with Buckyboy. Too many drivers run red lights along Milton Ave and Hwy 14. Install cameras at all the intersections on Milton Ave from Hwy 14 to Mt. Zion. Also install cameras along Hwy 14 from Hwy 26 to I-90. TICKET those who run the red lights. I bet those things would pay for themselves within a week.
Oct 19, 2009 at 7:57 a.m.
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Go through that intersection every day of the week-the biggest problem is all the morons that consistently run red lights which seems to be the new sport all around the community.
Oct 19, 2009 at 5:38 a.m.
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Some peaple can not figure out the round about's either
Oct 18, 2009 at 6:45 p.m.
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Solution in 1 word:
ROUNDABOUT.......
Yea that's the ticket.No pun intended.
hannah will not get that one!
Oct 18, 2009 at 5:11 p.m.
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The number of accidents may seem high, but Milton and Kettering probably has among the highest traffic volumes of any intersection in the city (save Milton and Old Humes). There are only so many safety improvements possible when you have that much traffic to move through a small space.
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The city is still interested in utilizing the reconstruction of I-39/90 to insert a viaduct between Deerfield and Pontiac, but that won't happen for years yet. It's possible that the WI-26 reconstruction, which will change how you get to and from John Paul Road, will help things somewhat, and once Wright Road comes through and crosses 26 (via overpass, no intersection; no timeline, though) the load on Kettering will probably be reduced.
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/wi...
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Ultimately this is a busy limited-access highway and should be treated with caution.
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