By Philip Haldiman
Mail | X: @PhilipHaldiman

The number of automobile crashes in Peoria has generally held steady at around 3,000 per year, according to a new comprehensive analysis of crash data, 2019 through 2023 from Y2K Engineering.

The notable exception during that time period was 2020, when there was a decrease in the number of total crashes, which was likely the result of traffic pattern changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were a total of 61 fatal crashes and 295 serious injury crashes, and 59% of all crashes in Peoria were intersection-related, according to the analysis.

Intersection-related crashes are those that were within150 feet of the center of the intersection.

The study states that fatal and serious injury crashes represent just below 3% of all crashes reported during the five-year period.

The results of this analysis provide an overview of road safety on local and arterial roads maintained and operated by the city of Peoria, meaning that roadways such as State Route 101 and US Route 60/Grand, those under the jurisdiction of ADOT, were not included.

“Principal findings and crash trends in this analysis were used to identify priority locations, evaluate crash frequency, types, and severity prevalent in the city of Peoria,” the report states. “Data is the foundation of every highway safety program; knowing how, when, where, and why traffic crashes occur and who is involved provides information for engineers and other safety advocates to identify strategies to prevent future crashes and/or reduce their severity.”

Dangerous Intersections

The study outlined Peoria signalized intersections with the most accidents: 91st and Olive avenues had the most accidents with 177, one fatality and one serious injury; 83rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road had the second most accidents with 165, and no fatalities and no serious injuries; Lake Pleasant Parkway and Happy Valley Road had the third most accidents with 116, and no fatalities and three serious injuries.

The study also identified unsignalized Peoria intersections with the most accidents: 81st Avenue and Beardsley Road had the most accidents with 68; 89th Avenue and Bell Road had the second most accidents with 24; and 81st Avenue and Deer Valley Road had the third most with 14.

Of the intersection-related crashes, 73% occurred at signalized intersections, according to the study.

Roundabouts

To bring more safety to Peoria roadways, officials say residents should expect more roundabouts, particularly north of the Central Arizona Project canal.

Studies have shown the slower speeds and reduced conflict points that come with roundabouts make them safer, with less fatalities and injuries.

Peoria’s Traffic Engineer Brandon Forrey said there are many benefits to roundabouts — they are less forgiving than 4-way signalized intersections and fatalities are not as common.

“You can’t help but slow down,” Forrey said. “It comes back to the theme of traffic control. The four-leg intersection with traffic signal is unforgivable. Traffic signals don’t address inattention and speeding, as well as failure to yield. Those are exasperated at a traffic signal.”

In the plans now is a roundabout at Vistancia Boulevard and Lone Mountain that came about because of a rash of accidents at the intersection last year.

Forrey said more roundabouts planned for the city’s northern area will be rolled out over a number of years, specifically in the Saddleback master-planned community, including one at Vistancia Boulevard at Galvin Street and one at Galvin Street east of Vistancia Boulevard.

Other planned roundabouts include one between Happy Valley and Jomax roads, as well as one at El Mirage Road north of the CAP canal.

What’s Next?

To address the data in the study and develop actionable policies, plans, and projects that facilitate an innovative approach to safety, the city has applied for the Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The $995,000 grant requires a 20% match from the city.

Forrey said the funding will help the city develop a comprehensive safety action plan with a goal of reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries with an aspirational goal of zero.

He said the grant funding would be used to develop an actionable plan that focuses on preventing death and serious injuries through methods that consider human mistakes and limitations.

“The grant program is about having a paradigm shift with roads. It is a safe systems approach. It assumes that any fatality is really unacceptable, and that humans make mistakes, and roads should be forgiving of those mistakes,” Forrey said.

Senior News Editor Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.

Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria

phaldiman@iniusa.org

Meet Philip
Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.

Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.

Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater. 

Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.

Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.