Formerly Quiet Intersection Now Charlotte’s Most Dangerous

The intersection of East Martin Luther King Boulevard and South Davidson Street was relatively quiet for years, but it’s now the most dangerous intersection in the city, according to a report from the Charlotte Department of Transportation.

PDF: CDOT's Annual Safety Report

Many drivers in the area said the news isn’t surprising. Venus Love, who has worked at a church near the intersection for eight years, said crashes are common.

“I've seen cars run into the median, on the sidewalk -- I've seen cars flip over,” Love said.

There have been 46 crashes at the intersection in the last three years. Other intersections had more crashes overall, the report says, but not when compared with the amount of traffic traveling through.

There is a lot of construction around the intersection in recent years, including the extension of South Davidson so it could connect to Interstate 277 and the construction of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Channel 9 asked CDOT if the construction could have played a part in the increase in crashes, but officials have not yet responded.

CDOT installed traffic lights at the intersection in March after a study showed that doing so might prevent crashes in the area. Since the lights were installed, there have not been any reported crashes.