Hamilton’s most dangerous intersections and roads

Mississauga | Ontario | Politics | Traffic |

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Published August 11, 2021 at 2:34 am

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Six of Hamilton’s seven most dangerous intersections can be found along either King or Main street, the pair of one-way arteries that run through downtown leading to and from Highway 403. 

That is according to the annual collision report compiled by the public works department, which draws on data compiled from 2016 to ’20. The 37-page report, which furnishes Hamilton city council and staff with information to improve roadway safety, will be presented to the city’s public works committee on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 11) at 1:30 p.m.  

The intersection of King Street East and Victoria Avenue South experienced the most such collisions, with 29. 

The runner-up is Mohawk Road East at Upper Wentworth Street (28), which is on Hamilton Mountain.

The next five on the list?

  • John Street South at Main Street East (27)
  • Dundurn Street South at King Street West (26)
  • Dundurn St. S. at Main St. W. (25)
  • Main St. E. at Wellington Street South (25)
  • Main St. E. and Victoria Ave. S. (24)

The most dangerous road segment was a section of the northbound Red Hill Valley Parkway, within the King Street interchange, where there were 26 fatal and high-injury collisions. There were also 22 along a section along Queenston Road between a plaza entrance and Nash Road.

Dundurn Street South at King Street West also rates as the most dangerous intersection in Hamilton for pedestrians, 11 of whom were struck over the last half-decade. Dundurn’s intersection with Main St. W. also had seven collisions.

A span of Barton Street East between Ferguson and Wellington St. N. also had four collisions involving pedestrians, tying for the most.

Collisions between drivers and cyclists have trended downward across the last half-decade, with 131 recorded in 2020 after a 10-year-low of 128 was reached the previous year.

That said, Cannon Street East at Wellington St. N. in the Beasley neighbourhood was first in cyclist-involved collisions with nine. The stretch of Cannon between Wellington and West Ave. N. also had more such collisions than other road segment in the city between ’16 and ’20.

Overall, the city had a 33.2-per-cent decline in collisions last year, which is attributed to COVID-19 pandemic. Rush hour traffic during the morning and afternoon peaks was estimated to have declined by 50 per cent.

The report states that most collisions in Hamilton occur during afternoon rush hour (3 p.m. to 5 p.m.), midday rush hour (around 12 noon) and the morning rush hour (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.). 

(Graphics via the City of Hamilton.)

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