Bee readers select this heavily-used intersection as Fresno’s most dangerous

The most dangerous intersection in the Fresno area based on a Fresno Bee readers poll is located just beyond city limits on the southeast side of town.

Statistically, it is not the deadliest.

Nonetheless, there have been an alarming number of crashes during the past five years at the intersection of South Chestnut and Central avenues.

Almost a year ago, a man was struck and killed there.

Located in the nearby small Fresno County community of Malaga, the Chestnut-Central crossing received the most votes (21%) from a week-long Fresno Bee poll that asked readers to choose the most dangerous intersection.

The northeast Fresno intersection of Friant and Shepherd, AKA “The Friant Roulette” because of the frequent number of crashes as well as close-call collisions, received the second most votes (18%) among nearly 800 votes tallied.

The intersection at Shaw and Golden State in northwest Fresno and the southeast Fresno crossing of Tulare and Minnewawa tied for the third most votes (18%).

The intersection at Shaw and Polk (8%) rounded out the Fresno area’s top five most dangerous intersections based on reader votes.

Many big rigs near intersection

What makes the Chestnut-Central intersection such a hazard?

The intersection often is heavily congested and finds itself in the middle of two major roads: Highway 99 to the west and Golden State Boulevard to the east.

It’s also in a mostly industrial zone and a high traffic area for 18-wheel trucks.

The Fresno Truck Center, which carries a fleet of big rigs, is located at the Chestnut-Central intersection. Mid California Truck School is nearby, as well.

A little farther to the west, there are other trucking businesses.

Not that big rig trucks are the cause for all accidents in the area.

But the presence of larger vehicles does sometimes create impatience among drivers.

Since 2019, there have been 83 crashes at the Chestnut-Central intersection. Of those, injuries were sustained in 22 of the collisions.

There also was one fatality, which happened in June 2023.

A driver heading north on Chestnut and approaching Central struck and killed a 20-year-old man whom the California Highway Patrol said ran out in front of the car around 3 in the morning.

CHP said the driver was not impaired and tried swerving, but was unable to avoid the man.

Other issues at Chestnut-Central

Fresno County officials with the public works and planning division are well aware of the issues at Chestnut and Central.

The Fresno County public works and planning website states that:

The left-turn phasing on eastbound and westbound Central Avenue does not have a protective green-arrow light, and has a large average percentage of trucks and buses.

The left-turn delay typically allows for only one truck, bus, or two to three cars to pass through per cycle.

The traffic coming from southbound Highway 99 as vehicles take the Chestnut Avenue exit, as well as traffic coming from Golden State Boulevard to the east add to the congestion.

The railroad tracks positioned near the Chestnut-Central intersection also presents challenges in traffic piling up.

Any chance of fixing?

Fresno County officials in September applied for a carbon reduction program grant to help make improvements to the intersection.

The improvements program are driven more by the idea of reducing pollution than safety.

Nonetheless, the project would include fully replacing the traffic signal to install left-turn phasing on all four lanes of the intersection.

High visibility backplates and accessible pedestrian signal (APS) push buttons also would be installed.

Right-turn lanes also would be added on the west, south and east legs of the intersection.

And ADA curb ramps with curb and gutter would be constructed on all four corners.

Fresno County said the project improvements would reduce carbon emissions by installing protected left-turn phasing at the intersection. The county added that the measure would prevent left-turning vehicles in the existing unprotected left-turn lane from having to wait for a gap in oncoming traffic, which can lead to congestion and increased emissions.

The project is expected to cost $1.3 million.