The Valley's most dangerous

MAT-SU - Some residents observing the Mat-Su Valley's rush-hour commutes say authorities need to spend more time preventing car accidents.

Two were reported on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway near Seward Meridian Parkway yesterday.

Ashley Bethel, 26, was driving a 1995 Chevrolet Suburban eastbound on the highway and allegedly failed to slow down for traffic turning left and rear-ended a truck driven by Amy Newhart, 28, of Wasilla, Alaska State Troopers report. Newhart struck a Ford Taurus in the oncoming lane driven by James Bowdine, 47, of Wasilla. Reports also show that Newhart, Bethel and four of her passengers were transported to Mat-Su Valley Regional Medical Center.

Bethel was cited for failure to exercise due care.

Linda Shea, a Wasilla resident who works at RE/MAX on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, said she could hear the three car collision from her office. When she and co-worker Kahle Ess went to see what had happened they joined more than 50 onlookers watching as two Mat-Su Borough emergency medical crews, Central Mat-Su Fire and Alaska State Troopers assisted victims trapped in their vehicles.

&#8220You could hear it moving. I could hear breaks and crunching,” Shea said of the accident. &#8220You just always hear them right here. Anywhere where you have to stop and have to turn.”

Shea said she has heard more than a few accidents from her office windows and wants authorities to do something to reduce collisions on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. She then pointed out her son, Capt. Brian Shea, a firefighter and paramedic who responded to the scene.

&#8220It's not the first time I've been there when he was a responder either,” she said.

Nearly two hours later and about one mile west of the three-car collision a driver lost control of his motorcycle, troopers report. Medical crews responded to the scene.

Thursday's injury accidents aren't aberrations on Mat-Su roadways. From 1977 to 2005, 25 motor vehicle accident fatalities have occurred on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and other roadways in the Valley show similar statistics.

&#8220I've lost count of the accidents,” said Melody Hood, a customer service representative for the Holiday gas station on the corner of Parks Highway and Boundary Street. &#8220Even my daughter-in-law was in one.”

In 2006, her daughter-in-law Amy Irvine was broadsided by a vehicle as she attempted to make a left turn from Boundary Street onto the Parks Highway in her Chevrolet Blazer. Irvine was lucky enough to walk away from the accident-prone area, Hood said. In nearly four years of working near the corner, Hood has witnessed at least five accidents through the storefront's tinted windows. All of them were caused by drivers attempting to make left-hand turns onto the Parks Highway.

&#8220If they're planning to do something to change how traffic moves, that's great,” Hood said. &#8220Because it's bad.”

Scott Thomas, a traffic safety engineer for the state Department of Transportation's central region, said accidents are caused by the Valley's fast growing population funneling its way through so many two lane roads. As a result, multiple safety and road improvement projects are in the works for the Valley.

The intersection where Hood has watched at least five accidents happen will be upgraded by 2008 to alleviate the hazards associated with the high traffic flow attempting to make left turns, Thomas said. Road improvements from Palmer to Wasilla, Big Lake and the Butte could include additional center turn lanes, traffic signals and highway interchanges.

&#8220When you see the roads carrying over 16,000 cars each day, we have a problem,” he said. &#8220Every time we make those upgrades we're reducing the number of crashes.”

A safety corridor on the Parks Highway that runs between Wasilla and Big Lake is targeted for major redesigns in 2011, Thomas said. Estimated construction costs are more than $50 million. That section of highway will expand to four lanes from Lucas Road at Mile 44 to the Big Lake cutoff at Mile 52.3. Drivers there may also see more traffic signals.

Ron Martindale, highway safety and improvement program coordinator for DOT's central region, said Palmer is also due for road upgrades. Nearly $12 million of resurfacing and shoulder additions will start popping up on the Old Glenn Highway to Plumley Road in 2008. The highway section from downtown to Airport Road will expand to three lanes, be resurfaced and restriped with added shoulders and pathway extensions to the Matanuska River Bridge.

Other DOT projects slated for 2008 and beyond include Glenn Highway upgrades through Palmer, traffic signals and turn lanes on the Palmer Wasilla Highway at Hemmer Drive and Hyer roads and traffic signals at Lucille Street and Fred Nelson Avenue, Martindale said.

Area law enforcement are giving Martindale and Thomas input in the restructuring.

Wasilla traffic officer Jentry Crain, who performs summer patrols on a black and white 1,550 cc Harley Davidson with a Screaming Eagle engine, said when he started in 2004 there were at least two accidents on Wasilla's roads every day.

&#8220Now I can go several days without responding to an accident,” he said.

Crain uses citations and warnings to bring the accident rate down, but said the Boundry intersection with the Parks Highway needs to change to reduce motor vehicle collisions. On July 18, Wasilla's city limits will be two years without a fatality caused by motor-vehicle accidents. He credits communication between law enforcement and DOT for the anniversary.

Prior to the rebuild of Crusey Street at the Parks Highway there was a massive problem with traffic buildup caused by a single left-turn lane, Crain said.

Police reports show 24 vehicle accidents there in 2006. After a second left turn lane was added to Crusey the number of accidents reduced dramatically, Crain said. Reports show that by June 25, 2007, four have happen there so far this year.

Other accident-prone intersections in Wasilla include the Parks Highway and Seward Meridian Road, Parks Highway and Main Street, Main Street and Herning Avenue. Seven injury accidents occurred at Main and Herning in 2006. Crain said there are times of day he refuses to drive on Main Street and Herning Avenue.

&#8220I won't drive there during the afternoon commute,” he said.

Accidents are avoidable if drivers stop trusting other drivers who wave them out on the roads and stop turning left onto the Parks Highway at intersections without traffic signals, Crain said. He believes more than 40 percent of Wasilla's accidents are caused by wave-outs.

Palmer Police Lt. Thomas Remaley said the Glenn Highway is accident prone from Outer Springer Loop to the hills, but there are some sections of downtown that also need safety improvements.

&#8220Downtown on Bailey Street behind the Valley Hotel, nearly every other week we have a traffic accident up there because somebody runs a stop sign,” he said.

Trooper Capt. Dennis Casanovas said Alaska State Troopers enforcing Valley roads use a driving under the influence, or four-trooper DUI team, based in Palmer to help prevent motor-vehicle accidents. From 2004-2006 those teams have made 1,030 arrests.

&#8220Since we've had that team in place since 2003, you can see the number of people killed in motor vehicle accidents each year decline,” he said. &#8220We have a lot more, better equipped and better trained people out there.”

Casanovas said motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities are often avoidable. Reducing speed at night, when weather is poor and wearing seat belts can reduce an awful lot of injuries.

&#8220In general terms, the troopers in this detachment respond to an average of 1,500 motor vehicle collisions a year,” he said. &#8220In recent years, we are pleased with the fact that numbers of people killed on the roads in motor vehicle collisions is declining.”

Contact Hannah Guillaume at 352-2284 or hannahguillaume@yahoo.com.

How are your driving habits?

There's a lot of drivers who have accidentally developed bad habits, said Wasilla Police traffic officer Jentry Crain. Take this test to gauge your skills:

1. True or False: You should drive on the shoulder to pass a car only if the vehicle ahead of you is turning to the left.

2. True or False: Roads are most slippery during the first rain after several dry weeks.

3. True of False: If your car begins to skid, you should take your foot off the accelerator and turn in the direction of the skid.

4. True or False: It's always illegal to cross a yellow double solid line.

5. True or False: When you see a ‘Roadwork Ahead' sign you should slow down and look for the roadwork.

Answers: 1. False, under no circumstance should you use the shoulder to pass; 2. True; 3. True; 4. False, it is legal when turning left into a business or home driveway; 5. False, you should only look for roadwork.

Source: DMV.org.

BREAKOUT:

By the numbers

These numbers break down the types, locations and citations issued in relation to motor vehicle accidents.

Five most dangerous intersections within Wasilla's city limits this year through June 24, 2007:

€ 15 accidents at Parks Highway and Main Street.

€ 12 accidents at Parks Highway and Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

€ 10 accidents at Parks Highway and Seward Meridian Parkway.

€ 8 accidents Parks Highway and Boundry Street.

€ 7 accidents Main Street and Herning Avenue.

Five most dangerous intersections within Wasilla's city limits in 2006:

€ 37 accidents at Parks Highway and Main Street.

€ 29 accidents at Parks Highway and Palmer Wasilla Highway.

€ 24 accidents Parks Highway and Crusey Street.

€ 23 accidents Main Street and Herning Avenue.

€ 14 accidents at Parks Highway and Seward Meridian Parkway .

Accident types within Wasilla's city limits in 2006:

€ Fatalities: 0

€ Motor vehicle accidents: 529

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in injuries: 39

Accidents within Palmer city limits up to mid-June 2007:

€ Fatalities: 0

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in damage: 73

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in injuries: 5

Accident within Palmer city limits in 2006:

€ Fatalities: 1

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in damage: 143

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in injuries: 27

Accident types responded to by Alaska State Troopers in 2006 and so far in 2007:

€ Motor vehicle accident fatalities in 2006: 12.

€ Motor vehicle accident fatalities through May 2007: 5.

€ Motor vehicle accidents in 2006: 1,526.

€ Motor vehicle accidents through May 2007: 585.

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in damage only in 2006: 1,225.

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in damage only through May 2007: 486.

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in injuries 2006: 289.

€ Motor vehicle accidents resulting in injuries through May 2007: 97.

Sources: Wasilla Police Department, Palmer Police Department, Alaska State Troopers.