Cleveland’s roadways seem crowded these days. As motorists commute to work and other places, they must navigate an intricate maze of highways, roads, streets and bridges. Unfortunately, though, some intersections in Cuyahoga County are more dangerous than others.
Few things can stop you in your tracks faster than a motor vehicle accident. After all, you may sustain serious bodily injury and costly property damage in an automobile crash. To minimize your chances of a collision, you must exercise caution when you drive on dangerous roadways. According to the Ohio State Patrol, the following intersections are some of the riskiest for drivers in Cuyahoga County:
1. Intersection of I-90 and I-77
Interstate 77 brings commuters into downtown from places like Cuyahoga Heights and Akron. It also serves as a main conduit for tourists to reach everything Cleveland has to offer. When I-77 reaches I-90, though, congestion and additional lanes make for some tough driving conditions.
2. Express lanes on I-271 just south of Fairmount Boulevard
If you try to move out of the I-271 express lanes and into local traffic lanes, you may face a bottleneck just south of Fairmont Boulevard. Reduced speeds and extra traffic make this stretch of highway dangerous for inattentive drivers.
3. Ramps on I-90 a bit east of Bratenahl Road
Even though most of the roadwork on I-90 east of Bratenahl Road has concluded, drivers still have a difficult time navigating the area. Put simply, traffic patterns on entry and exit ramps are not exactly intuitive.
4. Exit lanes from I-271 to Cedar Road
With its restaurants, shops and entertainment venues, Cedar Road is a destination for many Clevelanders. If attempting to move from the express lanes onto Cedar Road, though, you must cross many lanes of traffic in under a mile.
5. Interchange between I-90 and Loraine Avenue
Driving on the curves of I-90 around Loraine Avenue can be fun. It can also be risky. During early morning and late afternoon, bright sunshine can make seeing the road nearly impossible. Because traffic tends to slow down at the interchange, you may rear-end a vehicle if you have a pitted or dirty windshield.
While diligent and defensive driving are often effective ways to avoid a motor vehicle accident, it does not hurt to understand which areas of Cuyahoga County tend to be collision hotspots. Even though you may not be able to avoid the above five intersections altogether, knowing about their dangerous nature may help you stay safe on Cleveland’s crowded roadways.