I asked. You answered: Where are Charlotte’s most dangerous roads and intersections?
As part of a project on pedestrian and cyclist safety, I wanted to find out what intersections readers think are the most dangerous around Charlotte.
I asked on Twitter, expecting just a few responses, I ended up receiving dozens of replies, direct messages and emails. Some areas mentioned by responses are reflected in a recent Charlotte Observer analysis of the most dangerous roads for pedestrians and cyclists.
If you spend your morning commute dodging cars, or playing “human frogger,” as one Charlotte resident referred to crossing Interstate 277 ramps, it affects your quality of life.
Here’s the most dangerous areas in Charlotte for pedestrians and cyclists, according to readers.
NoDa
Several folks warned against areas in NoDa.
“I’ve seen cops give jaywalking tickets but never seen them pull a car over in this neighborhood,” Tom Hsu said.
Along North Davidson Street, people warned against crossing at 15th Street and Belmont Avenue.
“Not hard to fix,” one Twitter user said.
Pecan Avenue
“Pecan is a nightmare to bike — cars don’t hesitate to ‘punish pass’ to gain maybe 10 yards before a stop sign,” Charlotte attorney Rick Winiker said in a tweet.
Others pointed to mismatched timing between the pedestrian crossings and stoplights at the intersection of 7th and Pecan.
Eastway Drive
UNC Charlotte Professor Laurel Yohe describes part of Eastway Drive as a death trap.
Yohe cycles or uses transit to commute to work, but there’s a shortcut she sometimes takes. It crosses under Sugar Creek towards Howie Park and Howie Circle Road that leads out onto Eastway Road.
“There is no proper crosswalk or light, cars are moving at high speeds; cars are turning left and right out of Eastway Rec,” Yohe said in an email. “I have had many close calls here and on a more minor level, have sometimes waited >5 minutes to be able to have a clear path to cross safely.”
Other areas
“Nations Ford at South Tryon (with Woodlawn 100 yards away) is a disaster. Both for bicycles and pedestrians,” said Jim Stephan, Belmont Abbey College athletic communications director.
One Twitter user pointed to Kenilworth and Morehead. Another said crossing Independence at Briar Creek is “a drag race speedway.”
“Remount and the rail trail. Cars speed through that one despite signs showing pedestrian right of way. On street parking makes visibility for drivers bad too. Needs stop signs at least,” Twitter user @happell_brian said.
“In every city and locale I visit, the most dangerous place for a runner is at intersection where driver making a right at a red or stop sign. It’s when I get hit the most by cars. Most drivers don’t stop on right on red and most don’t look both ways. The infrastructure is there,” photojournalist Sean Rayford said.
This story was originally published February 10, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
