Sept. 21—ROCHESTER — If you’ve ever driven down Broadway Avenue, chances are you’ve passed an intersection with one of the highest accident rates on the planet.
Data from the Post Bulletin shows that Rochester’s 10 intersections had the highest number of crashes between August 2021 and July 2024.
In total, there were 495 crashes at the 10 intersections over the three years. Six of the 10 intersections are along Broadway Avenue. In total, there were 7,220 crashes in Rochester over the three-year period, 1,075 of which resulted in injuries.
The intersection with the highest number of crashes will be renovated in 2027 with the goal of reducing the number of crashes, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Through July 31, 2024, there have been 104 crashes at these intersections in Rochester.
The intersection at the entrance to Graham Park has seen 28 accidents in three years, with seven injuries.
* 2021: Three incidents
* 2022: 12 incidents
* 2023: Eight incidents
* 2024: Five incidents
Tied for 10th place, the intersection recorded 28 crashes with nine injuries. The intersection is located in the northwest corner of the city, near the plaza where Purple Goat and Haley Comfort Systems are located.
* 2021: Two incidents
* 2022: Nine incidents
* 2023: Eight incidents
* 2024: Nine incidents
The three-way intersection across from Soldiers Field Golf Course recorded 29 crashes, seven of which resulted in injuries.
* 2021: Six incidents
* 2022: Nine incidents
* 2023: Seven incidents
* 2024: Seven incidents
At another intersection on Broadway Avenue, just south of John Hardy’s BBQ, 31 accidents occurred, leaving 13 injured.
* 2021: Five incidents
* 2022: Eight incidents
* 2023: 15 incidents
* 2024: Three incidents
At the intersection of Kemps and Bryk on Broadway, 32 crashes were reported in three years, four of which resulted in injuries.
* 2021: Two incidents
* 2022: 12 incidents
* 2023: Nine incidents
* 2024: Nine incidents
Broadway Avenue South and 16th Street also recorded 32 crashes. Five incidents at the intersection near Scooter’s Coffee resulted in injuries.
* 2021: Four incidents
* 2022: 13 incidents
* 2023: Nine incidents
* 2024: Six incidents
At the intersection of Barlow Plaza and Joe’s Auto & Tire, 36 accidents occurred with 10 injuries.
* 2021: 10 incidents
* 2022: 13 incidents
* 2023: Eight incidents
* 2024: Five incidents
There have been 42 crashes at the intersection of 12th Street Southeast and Third Avenue Southeast. Five of those incidents resulted in injuries. The intersection is just north of the Workshop Food Hall & Bar and has a clear view of the Ear of Corn Water Tower.
* 2021: Seven incidents
* 2022: 17 incidents
* 2023: 10 incidents
* 2024: Eight incidents
There have been 43 crashes reported at 11th Avenue Northwest and Civic Center Drive Northwest from August 1, 2021 through July 2024. The intersection is between Nupa North, Walgreens and Coulee Bank. Nine incidents resulted in injuries.
* 2021: Eight incidents
* 2022: 15 incidents
* 2023: 14 incidents
* 2024: Six incidents
RPD recorded 94 crashes at the intersection near the entrance to Apache Mall. This intersection reported the highest number of injury incidents, at 16, including the death of 18-year-old Olivia Flores.
Flores died in a fatal crash involving former Minnesota State Trooper Shane Roper. Roper was speeding in his police car on 12th Street Southwest without his lights or sirens turned on, according to court documents. Roper’s police car struck the passenger side of a Ford Focus, which Flores was in the backseat of. Five others were injured as a result of the crash.
Roper faces nine criminal charges in Olmsted County District Court, including felony counts of second-degree murder, criminal vehicular manslaughter and criminal vehicular operation. His next court appearance is scheduled for November.
* 2021: 13 incidents
* 2022: 29 incidents
* 2023: 32 incidents
* 2024: 20 incidents
Over the past three years, RPD has recorded 100 crashes and 13 resulting injuries at the intersection of 12th Street and Broadway Avenue South. According to MnDOT, 50,000 vehicles travel through this intersection every day.
Cindy Morgan, MnDOT’s public engagement coordinator, said most of the crashes at this intersection happen when drivers are turning right. Often, drivers rear-end the vehicle ahead of them in the right turn lane, or merge into a vehicle because of poor visibility.
MnDOT shared its plans for the intersection reconstruction during a public meeting, where a redesign of the intersection was unveiled. Construction will begin in 2027 at the intersection of 12th Street and Broadway Avenue South with the goal of reducing crashes. The redesign proposal included two left-turn lanes and traditional right turns.
* 2021: 15 incidents
* 2022: 25 incidents
* 2023: 34 incidents
* 2024: 26 incidents
