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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 03-28 Accident increase linked to higher traffic flow REVIEW VOLUME 17, NUMBER 46 /ie ll/ Cc-A..) Publication#328680 71(a/ 'f Vo�LI tAccident.,* a �i tohigher ,,„.,,. ,,„-:,,,. . .. „ WBy MELANIE WAAGE � AVE. '. & c.,..,_A C A 30 percent increase in accidents in PIN s 1978 on Maplewood roads has caused NA AT ';•-,•• •.•••C concern to city officials. •j IIThere were 1,146 accidents reported in 1978.This is in contrast to 875 accidents in 1977 and 727 accidents in 1976. "This does not take into consideration • Y KONLMAN AVE. �;: the accidents that the Minnesota Highway o * Patrol handles," Tom Hagen, deputy 1 :.:�1 police chief, said. 0 23 FIVE OF THE 1978 accidents were O 44 fatalities. There were three fatalities in 1977 and one in 1976. Auto-related injuries in 1978 totaled 270, ECGENILL RD. a 20 percent increase over the 214 R ac- cidents in 1977 and 232 in 1976. it `. L_ "As the city develops there is more L = _ traffic on the roads," Hagen said. "With :' „ a <C the building of Maplewood Mall, there is "" AVE. an outpour of traffic onto White Bear ;E Avenue. It's the same with the 3M Company. These facilities generate a lot At A more vehicles on the Maplewood roads." l -' Diane Schirrmacher, marketing �`, A i. D director at Maplewood Mall, said their business was increasing, but did not feel ..';'*--;;:i....777"..'".7% 1 there were more traffic accidents r " o,E 1'vt. 1 because of it. Their business varies season to season, I ANL;,/•K : from 7,400 vehicles visiting the mall on an Ro. `' average day in February; more than ID�i 0 D- W W ,1 double that figure is the 16,000 vehicles AIF 1 1-5 1 7. S 8644 < Y Ave" vir 411 Soo .71 O 11-15 AVE. I 1 _°.' :I I, _1 29 �� '"' -;'` 1 O 16-20 mill r1. ,—-- • ,z; 6 AKS rr 'As:':' Y „ p 4a, 20+ 4� a p IKN M AVETHERE WERE 253 accidents cidents on _ EMI White Bear Avenue in 1978.Eighty- "V four of these were personal injury accidents and 20 accidents were not �''•"' '�``"`-) niini IF at intersections. These figures represent percent of all it 65 accidents and 31 percent of all 3AIII personal injury accidents. /9 -,9Maplewood, Minnesota increase linked traffic ow visiting the mall on a December day. Police Chief Dick Schaller, said. "We're very aggressive as far as ad- When an accident occurs, the police vertising,promotions,and we're trying to department determines the cause. They appeal to a wider range of people," try to categorize an accident in one of the Schirrmacher said. "This has increased following: traffic violation, driver error our business. We had a healthy increase or roadway design. The more accidents in 1977,but we are progressing at the rate that are caused by roadway design alerts we expected to. them to review the traffic situation. "SO, WE HAD foreseen our traffic .:Since White Bear Avenue is a county needs,and felt there would be no problem, read,any changes to road structure lies in and don't see that there is one." ttie county's hands. The center has six different entrances "We have made an application for and exits to handle the traffic flow. federal aid under the safety program to 3M generates 7,583 auto driving trips improve safety conditions on White Bear per work day. Avenue from County Road B to Highway "This is not an increase in the last year 36," Ken Weltzin, Ramsey County or so,"Robert Owens, 3M transportation engineer, said. engineer said. "Our employment has "This stands very well at this time.We been stable so the auto driving trips has will have to meet some county stabilized." requirements, but we're hopeful to get But, he noted that the increases they construction going in 1980 or 1981." have had since 1974 put more vehicles on Changes to White Bear Avenue would the road. include straightening out curves for The point is,there are a lot of vehicles easier driving. on%he city streets and a lot of accidents to Weltzin explained that the county was handle, Hagen said. "This is not a also trying to obtain federal funding far reflection on the policing of these streets. channelization project near Maplewood The increase in accidents is related to the Mall, but were turned down this year. increase in traffic." They will have to re-apply next year.The THE GREATEST CONCERN to the channelization involves keeping the police department is that one-fourth of the traffic moving, coordinating traffic accidents in 1978 occurred on White Bear lights, and making turning easier. These Avenue, between County Road D and are minor changes,Weltzin said,but they Larpenteur Avenue. will continue to apply for funding until Of the 1,146 accidents reported in 1978, they get it. 253 were located on White Bear Avenue. "The problem with any program is the And of the 273 personal injury accidents availability in funds," Weltzin said. "In for 1978,84 were on White Bear Avenue. our five year program, White Bear There are approximately 136 miles of Avenue is very important. road in Maplewood, and this section of "We feel we can make a safer roadway White Bear Avenue is only four miles if we do some minor construction.This is long. scheduled for safety improvement and "There is definitely a disproportionate when we have the funds, the changes will amount of accidents on that stretch." be made."