I-Team: Dangerous intersections

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - We all walk, bike and drive on the streets of western Massachusetts everyday, but as you know, not all the streets are safe.

The 22News I-Team takes the wraps off the most dangerous intersections in western Massachusetts.

It's all based on crash data our communities have reported to the state.

Everyday you leave the house, you drive at your own risk, knowing you could crash your car, but did you know the likelihood of having an accident actually increases at some locations.

The 22News I-Team went through Massachusetts Department of Transportation data and discovered which intersections are the worst in our end of the state- based on number of crashes over a two year period and how serious they were.

Here's what we found:

Little River Road and East Main Street in Westfield made the state's list after there were 54 crashes, 22 of them involved injuries.

There were 51 crashes on Memorial Drive and Pendleton Avenue in Chicopee, half left someone hurt.

But, the area's meanest intersection here is the entrance to the mall at Holyoke Street where the state says there were 121 crashes.

Data like this helps the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission suggest improvement projects.

"What we want to do is to identify some of these locations that we may have no potential improvement projects and hopefully go in and do a more in depth study," Roux said.

Roux says the state's data isn't perfect because some communities, like Springfield, aren't reporting.

The commission did its own Springfield study and found Boston Road and Parker Street at the top of their list with 83 crashes over 2 years.

At least one consistency, is both reports found downtown Northampton to be a rough ride for all travelers.

In two years, 34 pedestrians and 18 bikers were hit, most with injuries.

"I was just in an accident last week and they told me Rt. 9, where I was coming into Northampton, is extremely popular for accidents," said Bondsville's Abaigael Duda.

City planners say the data is no surprise to them either, which is why they always have new projects in the works.

"We just spent $40,000 on brand new bike lanes, which makes South Street much safer than it was even two months ago," said Wayne Feiden, Northampton's Director of Planning and Development.

Here's a look at the state's crash data.