Scottsdale consultants cite South Scottsdale, Old Town as crash hot spots in preliminary safety analysis

Consultants told the Scottsdale Transportation Commission on April 17 that a preliminary analysis of 2019–2023 crash records shows nearly 19,000 reported crashes citywide and roughly 500 suspected fatal or serious‑injury (KSI) crashes, with pedestrian and bicycle collisions disproportionately represented among the most severe outcomes.

The analysis, led by consultants from T.Y. Lin and Northern Arizona University and introduced by City staff, found 18,000 vehicle‑only crashes in ADOT records supplemented by the city’s pedestrian and bicycle crash file (about 700 ped/bike crashes). Consultants said about 2 percent of vehicle‑only crashes were KSI, while 15.4 percent of the city’s ped/bike crashes were KSI. Heat maps and intersection blowups showed the highest concentrations of total and KSI crashes in South Scottsdale and Old Town.

Why it matters: the city is assembling a Strategic Transportation Safety Plan intended to guide capital projects, countermeasures and grant applications. Commissioners pressed consultants on data limits and prioritization so the plan will steer funding — including federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) opportunities — toward the corridors and locations that most affect vulnerable road users.

Most important findings and methods

- Timeframe and sources: consultants used a five‑year police‑reported dataset covering 2019–2023 combining ADOT records (vehicle crashes) and a City of Scottsdale file for pedestrian and bicycle crashes.

- Scale and severity: the combined dataset showed just under 19,000 crashes and just under 500 KSI (fatal or suspected serious…