Bad interchange contributes to another death

A motorcyclist was killed today when a van pulled across the westbound motorcyclist's path at the I-469 and US 930/US 30 interchange on the east side of New Haven, Indiana.

The van belonged to the Indiana Department of Transportation.

This is not just another tragic death of a motorist in an accident, although it is that, too.

This is an example of a poorly designed interchange, which was predicted - even as it was being built years ago - to be the site of numerous injuries and traffic fatalities.

The decision to save money by not installing a full cloverleaf interchange at the New Haven Lincoln Highway location has cost lives.

Period.

Most folks living in New Haven when the interchange was built knew it would. Residents talked about it and commented on how lives would be lost there.  Many remarked that it seemed like New Haven alwaysgot short-changed when it came to state and federal governmental decisions like that.

Eastbound traffic on 930 from New Haven has to turn across westbound traffic on US 930 if the driver wishes to go northbound on I-469.  That's quite a few vehicles - including a large numbers of tractor trailers.

So, as you listen to or read about this morning's accident in the day's news, keep in mind something that likely won't be noted by the newspaper, radio, or television reporter who transmits the story to you: it's not just a fatality.

It's not just an individual tragedy for that motorcyclist, his or her family and friends, and, yes, the driver of the van which pulled in front of the motorcyclist.  It is an incident in which poor public policy decisions, made years ago, were a contributing factor.

Comments

[John G Wallace]

It's a tragedy and a human loss but I tend to be a lot less sympathetic to motorcyclists who ride without helmets. Not sure that would have made a diference. I get angry everytime a biker roars past me at 90 mph and isn't wearing one. Every safety statistic shows thay make riding safer, and making riders use them discourages irresponsible motorcycle use. This guy wasn't wearing one. In my opinion anyone who chooses to ride a motorcycle without one isn't likely to be the kind of person who puts safety first. I'd prefer those people stay off two wheels.

[John Wonderly]

Well, lets don't leave it at that.Name names, who made this decision?A person or persons had to have made the decision.

[Alex Jokay]

A public that didn't want to pay taxes? Could that have had any influence here?

[Mike Harvey]

I take that exit back to my moms house. One thing I've noticed is that vehicles turning right on to the interstate don't always realize that they have a yield sign, and vehicles making that left turn don't always realize they have the right of way, and have to watch out for those right turners. I do consciously make a point to stop if there's an issue when making that right northbound onto 469 to lessen the confusion and momentary stress for someone making that left turn... because it's like they, almost innately, have to watch out for three lanes instead of two, and the lane that they shouldn't have to watch out for is usually blocked from vision by a semi at busy times...

[Jason Blosser]

469 north at I-69 is notorious for numerous accidents as well.

[Steven Schindler, P.E.]

There is not a single interchange in the entire state of Indiana which I would consider well-designed. Indiana has always done the cheapest design possible. Indiana's interstate/freeways system sucks. Interchange design in Michigan is vastly superior to Indiana's. I-469 was not even built to true interstate standards in the first place. Fort Wayne has the worst highway system compared to any other comparably sized metro area in the entire USA. INDOT sucks= always has, always will.