PHOENIX — In the continuing effort to make Valley roads safer, the Phoenix City Council unanimously voted to move forward with improvements to three intersections and authorized the city manager to purchase the property required to make the improvements.
The three intersections set to get improvements are Jesse Owens Parkway and Baseline Road, 7th Street and McDowell Road, and Cave Creek Road and E. Greenway Parkway.
The intersections at Cave Creek and McDowell ranked in the top intersections for crash risks, according to the Maricopa County of Governments data from 2018 to 2022.
Cave Creek and Greenway ranked 32nd with 90 crashes, while 7th Street and McDowell ranked 30th with 138 crashes.
The improvements call for upgrades to the traffic signals from the lights to the poles. They also want to fix faded street striping and make sidewalks and ramps more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Pedestrians at 7th Street and McDowell Road were not surprised it was ranked as a dangerous intersection. They were happy to hear about the planned improvements, but also believed enhanced traffic enforcement and changing driver's behavior do more to make the road safer for everyone.
“Slow down, look at the stop lights, and don’t be in a hurry," Frances Hernandez said.
“Stay off your phones, drive safely, eyes on the road, and always look out for pedestrians," Juan Torres said.
The improvements were just approved, and we'll continue to track when the city implements them.