The crumpled remains of a vehicle's bumper that rested near the Canton Township intersection of Michigan Avenue and Beck Road Tuesday afternoon served as a fitting symbol of the site's infamous history of collisions.
With the speed limit on Michigan Ave. set at 55 miles per hour and the closest traffic light exactly one mile east of the intersection, motorists traveling westbound on Michigan Ave. have a runway, of sorts, to accelerate up to 70 mph before they reach the dreaded crossroads.
Drivers looking to turn northbound onto Beck from eastbound Michigan — temporarily halted only by a stop sign — must guess whether they can find a gap in the steady stream of traffic to cross the two lanes safely.
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Seventy drivers guessed wrong in 2019. That, according to statistics provided by the Canton Township Department of Public Safety, is how many accidents occurred at the intersection last year. Nine of the collisions resulted in injuries.
"We have been begging, pleading for some time (to the Michigan Department of Transportation) to make the installation of a traffic light a priority," said Canton Township Supervisor Pat Williams. "Thankfully, it's finally happening.
"I used to drive by that intersection every day, so I know how treacherous it can be."
In February, the township was notified by MDOT that a traffic study related to a light at the intersection was ready to commence.
Earlier this week, work crews were spotted putting the final touches on the project, as traffic lights hang suspended above the roadway, not yet operational, but appearing imminent to bringing a higher level of safety to the area.
Williams said the need for the new light has increased significantly over the past few years as development — both residential and commercial — has been ramped up in the township's western section.
Contact reporter Ed Wright at eawright@hometownlife.com or 517-375-1113.
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New traffic light at treacherous Canton intersection expected to decrease accidents - Hometown Life
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