What's the most dangerous intersection in Kent County?

KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Each year, Michigan Auto Law releases its list of the top 10 most dangerous intersections in Kent County—and this year, one intersection is topping the list for the sixth year in a row.

The data comes from Michigan State Police's crash database, and defines an intersection as any road with a traffic signal, four-way stop or roundabout. The lists are created using data from the previous year.

For the sixth year, the intersection of US-131 and Wealthy Street is the most dangerous intersection in the county, with a total of 134 crashes.

Here are the other intersections making the list:

1. US-131 at Wealthy Street, Grand Rapids—134 crashes, 26 injuries 
2. Franklin Street SW at US-131, Grand Rapids—75 crashes, 10 injuries 
3. Burton Street SW at US-131, Grand Rapids—65 crashes, 13 injuries
4. 28th Street SE at Kalamazoo Avenue SE, Grand Rapids—63 crashes, 20 injuries 
5. 54th Street SW at US-131, Wyoming—61 crashes, 16 injuries
6. 28th Street SW at US-131, Wyoming—59 crashes, 16 injuries 
7. 28th Street SE at S Division Avenue, Grand Rapids—58 crashes, 17 injuries 
8. 28th Street SE at Breton Road SE, Grand Rapids—57 crashes, 15 injuries
9. 44th Street SE at Eastern Avenue SE, Kentwood—53 crashes, 21 injuries
10. 28th Street SE at Broadmoor Avenue SE, Grand Rapids—52 crashes, 10 injuries

In May, the City of Grand Rapids approved a motion to redesign the intersection at US-131 and Wealthy Street to improve safety in the area. The $10 million project, which is being funded by a state grant, is expected to take five years of planning before construction can begin.

Steven M. Gursten, an attorney with Michigan Auto Law, says their annual list helps drivers be aware of which intersections may need extra precaution when driving through.

“Knowing what intersections have the most car accidents is important,” said Gursten, “because even though a crash does not always result in a person being injured, it does increase substantially the likelihood of an injury occurring."

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