The intersection of 28th Street North and 1st Avenue North doesn't make the list of the top 50 crash intersections in St Petersburg. However, to neighbors nearby, the sounds of metal against metal in that intersection are all too frequent.
- 21 crashes in intersection since 2013
- City engineers tasked to find a solution
- Bay News 9's Real Time Traffic Reporter Chuck Henson takes an in-depth look at transportation issues around the Bay area
Twenty-one crashes have happened in the intersection since 2013, according to City of St Petersburg officials. Resident Jenifer Greenwell believes changes to the signals could cut the number of crashes here significantly.
"I think [drivers are] confused between the one [signal] on First and Central. I think they're reacting to the one on Central because it's delayed, so that traffic can get through."
Quinton Cummings lives on the corner of 28th Street North and 1st Avenue North, and sees driver impatience as the issue.
"These three lights, when one changes they're trying to gun it to beat that," said Cummings. "And then you've got oncoming traffic and they ain't slowing down, so that's why we have a lot of accidents."
St. Petersburg Director of Transportation and Parking Management Evan Mory has asked city engineers to help find a solution.
"Even though it’s not a high-crash intersection, we will review like I promised and see if there are any very recent trends or things that have changed, and also see if any counter-measures are appropriate," said Mory. "That could possibly be increased enforcement, or engineering."