A man and two women were involved in a motor vehicle crash on Monday, resulting in minor injuries for the man and no injuries for the two women, according to authorities.
At approximately 4:53 p.m., Juneau Police Department received multiple calls about the crash off of Egan Drive and the Fred Meyer access road involving a red 2011 Honda Pilot driven by a man and a red 2019 Dodge Durango driven by a woman with another woman passenger. Police did not release the names of the drivers or passenger, but the driver of the Dodge was cited for failure to exercise due care, according to JPD.
Crashes at the well-traveled and highly visible intersection are not uncommon — especially in the winter months. Efforts are underway to reduce the number of crashes at the intersection.
In response to safety concerns and the need for alternate driving routes in the event of accidents at the intersection of Egan and Yandukin Drive, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities took part in the planning for improvements through the Juneau Egan Drive and Yandukin Intersection Improvements Project, which concluded in August 2021.
According to DOT&PF public information officer Sam Dapcevich, the department worked with the community and reviewed crash history through the means of a Planning and Environmental Linkages process to better understand the issues associated with the intersection and to explore the best possible options in moving forward with improvements to enhance safety, connectivity and reliability. As a result of the PEL study, the recommended alternative was a signal at the intersection along with an access road running behind where the bike path currently exists, connecting with the “McNugget” intersection.
Though Dapcevich said funding for this has not yet been assigned nor has an estimated cost been determined at this time, there is an additional highway safety improvement project that has received funding estimated between $500,000 and $1 million that is set to begin this coming summer during construction season. This project will lower the speed limit through the corridor from the current 55 MPH to 45 MPH seasonally, which Dapcevich said is roughly two to three months during the winter time when the highest rates of accidents take place. Additionally, the project will create better delineation for the turn lanes, including the northbound off ramp turning towards Fred Meyer.
Dapcevich said the intent is to help oncoming traffic better identify who is turning off the road and who is continuing through.
• Contact reporter Jonson Kuhn at jonson.kuhn@juneauempire.com.
Two cars shown here after crashing on Monday night at the intersection of Egan Drive and the Fred Meyer access road. Minor injuries reported for one of the drivers while no injuries reported for the occupants of the other vehicle. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
