by: Eric Rasmussen Updated: Mar 2, 2016 - 11:04 PM

BROCKTON, Mass. —

Ten intersections in Massachusetts have been the scene of hundreds of crashes causing injuries in recent years, according to accident data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

New statistics uncovered by FOX25 Investigates suggest efforts to redesign some of those intersections in the Boston area, not just more enforcement, may have already begun to pay off.

Brockton and Lowell

Two intersections, in Brockton and Lowell, accounted for more than 100 injury crashes between 2011 and 2013, according to MassDOT. The 49 accidents recorded at Pleasant and West Streets in Brockton earned that intersection the distinction of most dangerous in Massachusetts.

>> SEE THE MASSDOT REPORT

In January, a police chase in Brockton led to a multi-car pileup at Pleasant and West Streets, but veteran officers say they’ve witnessed numerous crashes caused by a variety of factors in that same location.

“It’s a very large intersection,” said Officer Antonio Randolph. “It’s just so many moving pieces, so many cars coming in so many directions… there’s a lot of margin for error there.”

Similar factors are in play at the intersection of Bridge Street and VFW Highway in Lowell. That intersection had the second most injury crashes in the state: 40 between 2011 and 2013.

Three other intersections in Lowell also made the top ten for injury crashes in Massachusetts. 

>> SEE FULL LIST OF WORST BOSTON-AREA INTERSECTIONS

“It’s been really very frustrating for Lowell motorists for a long, long time,” said Lowell Mayor Ed Kennedy.

Making Changes

Construction crews are already in the middle of a $3.2 million project to redesign and reconfigure the intersection of Bridge Street and VFW Highway in Lowell. The mayor says the Governor’s Office and Lowell’s delegation at the State House helped secure the funds. The changes include moving lanes of traffic as well as retiming traffic lights and crosswalk signals.

“We’re hoping that it makes a big difference,” said Kennedy who expects the project will be completed by the Fall of 2016, possibly sooner.

Heavy traffic in cars, and on foot, have also contributed to problems in the area.

“This is a very densely populated section of the city, so there's a higher than usual amount of pedestrian traffic here which exasperates the situation,” said Kennedy. “Hopefully the redesign will take care of that.”

Signs of Improvement

Police in Brockton say similar changes were recently made at Pleasant and West Streets. FOX25 Investigates discovered crashes now appear to be declining. Just 8 accidents were reported at the intersection in 2015, compared to 37 a year earlier.

However, some warn the recent numbers may not tell the whole story because some crashes go unreported.

“The numbers are probably a lot higher than the numbers that they have,” said Officer Randolph.

It’s a reality MassDOT acknowledges in its report. The Registry of Motor Vehicles told FOX25 it has not yet closed its crash file for 2014.

 

Google Map of 10 most dangerous intersections

FOX25 Investigates obtained new data about crashes at some of the worst intersections in Massachusetts. Eric Rasmussen takes a closer look at how the tends are changing and one trouble spot that’s seeing improvements, tonight on FOX25 News at 10.