CANTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Canton intersection has long been a bane to drivers in that area. It's the spot where Michigan Avenue and Sheldon Road intersect near Geddes Road.
A viewer tipped us off to problems there after 7 News Detroit’s Randy Wimbley spent the day there connecting with community members and stakeholders.
“Standing here at the light, I had to pull out because the grass was so high and I was hard to see, I was in a low vehicle, and a pickup truck just ran me right over,” Marta Gervais said.
It's one story after another.
“Yes, it's a lot of accidents. I've actually lost a classmate - driver coming the wrong way hit her head on,” Jazmine Williams said.
Canton Township records show there's been 157 crashes in this area since 2020. The causes range from careless driving to failing to yield, improper lane use, to being unable to stop in an assured clear distance (tailgating).
“The causes for those crashes we see that everywhere all the time, and all of that is driver behavior. People going too fast, they're speeding, they're not using their turn signal,” MDOT Spokeswoman Diane Cross said.
Gervais says it's not just about drivers but also the layout of the roads. At the intersection, you have Michigan Avenue, which is a state road, Sheldon, which is a county road, and Geddes, which cuts through both. All of it can be confusing for some drivers.
“I think it's a bad design. Nobody pays attention,” Gervais said.
Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham Hudak says they are working with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) to make the intersection more efficient.
“Roundabout, four-way stop, or maybe just not allowing on Geddes right there at all, make them go down to Canton Center to turn onto Geddes,” Graham-Hudak said. “We're waiting for experts to tell us the best way to do this.”
Until then, Graham-Hudak is urging drivers to be attentive, alert, and take care.
Interview: Canton Township supervisor shares more on problematic intersection
“We’re trying to promote driver safety all over Canton, but definitely that’s a tricky intersection,” she said. “At the intersection, people have to be careful; they have to pay attention.”
