HOUSTON — A team of University of Houston students and their professor set out to find out which intersections in Houston were the most dangerous.
They wanted to find out how things had changed in the year since Texas fully reopened businesses after COVID lockdowns.
What they discovered
They found out that crashes were higher than pre-pandemic levels but they're unsure why.
Half of the most dangerous intersections they found are along FM 1960 and SH 6. The others were inside the 610 Loop, including the traffic circle near Hermann Park.
“People who are living there will get used to that intersection, but imagine the number of people who come to that region for the Texas Medical Center or for the Hermann Park or for the Houston Museum District. They’re not used to that kind of intersection," UH Department of Mechanical Engineering associate professor Ashutosh Agrawal said.
The intersection of Fannin and Pease was the most dangerous with 59 reported crashes. That intersection is surrounded by parking garages.
10 most dangerous intersections
- Pease Street and Fannin Street (59 crashes)
- Bissonnet Street and Westchester Avenue (41 crashes)
- Main Street and Montrose Boulevard (Mecom Fountain Roundabout) (39 crashes)
- FM 1960 and W. Lake Houston Parkway (39 crashes)
- S. Gessner Road and Westpark Drive (39 crashes)
- Spencer Road and Highway 6 (37 crashes)
- Highway 6 and Bellaire Boulevard (37 crashes)
- Treaschwig Road and FM 1960 (36 crashes)
- Clay Road and Barker Cypress Road (36 crashes)
- Highway 6 and Westheimer Road (36 crashes)
What can be done
Agrawal said high-visibility signs could be put up at the intersections to warn drivers of the dangers.
Also, engineers could design the roads in a safer way.
Agrawal said he has received an email requesting them to present their findings to city staff.