What's the Most Dangerous Intersection in Chelmsford?

CHELMSFORD, MA - Motor vehicle fatalities were up across the country and in Massachusetts in 2015, according to a study by the National Safety Council.

The number of motor-vehicle deaths in the United States in 2015 totaled 38,300, up 8% from 2014.

The increase was not as dramatic in Massachusetts, which saw 354 traffic fatalities in 2015, a two percent increase from the 348 deaths in 2014 and a six percent increase from the 334 deaths in 2013.

Nationwide, the estimated annual mileage death rate is 1.22 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, an increase of 5% from the 2014 rate.

According to data from 2011-13, Chelmsford does not have one of the 200 most dangerous intersections in the state, but it does have several intersections that qualify as Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) clusters.

“A highway safety improvement project is any strategy, activity or project on a public road that is consistent with the data-driven State Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and corrects or improves a hazardous road location or feature or addresses a highway safety problem.”

Here are the HSIP intersections in Chelmsford:

• Drum Hill Road and Parkhurst Road -- seven injury crashes, 19 property damage only. Twenty-six total crashes from 2011-13.
• Chelmsford Street and Glen Avenue -- nine injury crashes, 24 property damage only. Thirty-three total crashes from 2011-13.
• Multiple areas of Route 3 and I-495 are also included on the HSIP list.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation keeps information on the most dangerous intersections in the state, which you can find here.