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Traffic staff to seek roadside safety audit after spike in crashes near Karcher/10 Lane
Summary
Transportation staff reported a cluster of 35 crashes in five years near the 10‑Lane/Karcher corridor, 16 of them this year. Staff attributed much of the recent increase to nearby construction detours and said they will apply for a roadside safety audit while adding signage and monitoring in the near term.
Transportation staff told the council they have observed a recent uptick in reported crashes near the 10‑Lane and Karcher Boulevard corridor and are pursuing a formal roadside safety audit to identify engineering solutions.
Crystal Craig, director of transportation, told the council she had received more than 20 citizen calls about the intersection in the last three months and summarized crash history: 35 reported crashes over five years, 16 occurring in the current year, a majority angle‑type crashes and many occurring during afternoon peak periods. Craig noted construction and closures at Northside and Cherry earlier in the year likely rerouted traffic and "artificially bloated" crash counts. She recommended short‑term measures (additional signage and monitoring) while the city applies for a roadside safety audit that will evaluate alternatives including signalization, access control or lane geometry changes.
Craig told the council the city will seek a roadside safety audit and briefed council on planned nearby construction that might affect traffic patterns during data collection. She emphasized the audit would provide an engineering path forward and asked for council patience while staff completes the application and data vetting.
Why this matters
A concentrated pattern of angle crashes at a corridor near commercial access points poses a safety and congestion concern for nearby residents and businesses. The planned roadside safety audit would provide the data and engineering recommendations needed to determine whether capital improvements, access changes or traffic control modifications are warranted.
