People renew pleas for traffic light at ‘dangerous’ Wilmington intersection after fatal crash
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — People are asking for more safety precautions following a deadly crash at a busy intersection in Wilmington.
Wilmington Police are investigating after a three-vehicle crash killed 79-year-old Peter Anstatt on Sunday at the intersection of Market Street and Station Road.
Abdu Ali works at Queen Vape and Tobacco in the Northwood Shopping Center adjacent to the intersection and witnessed the crash. Unfortunately, he said this isn’t the only accident he’s seen.
“I think this one is the fourth accident, the fourth one this month, maybe two weeks,” Ali said “We asked to add a light here because every week, every day, every three days, a big accident happens here.”
Ali said the intersection is dangerous and using it every day worries him.
“When I want to go home, I have to wait there like 10 minutes or go up to that light just to turn left because I’m scared,” Ali said. “They come in so fast and yesterday I saw the accident…so scared.”
Other people who work in the shopping center said they hear accidents what seems like once per week. Josef Ewais owns Payless Wireless and he said people are constantly getting into accidents and he’s reached out to try and get a traffic light installed at the intersection.
Max Wilson, an employee at The Used Bookery, said he thinks the frequent accidents are partially because of how difficult it is to make a left turn onto Market Street from Station Road.
“People ‘peeling out’ I guess is like the best term. Just that screeching sound and having to deal with not having any other safety precaution stuff, so at least like a light or something maybe should be implemented,” Wilson said. “I mean, they can put all these other lights down here so you know let’s maybe throw one over here.”
The North Carolina Department of Transportation said they are working to add a light and a raised median at the intersection as a part of the Military Cutoff Extension Project.
The planned Market and Station intersection redesign (Photo: NCDOT)
Once the work is completed by the end of 2022 or early 2023, people will not be able to turn left onto Market Street, but people from either direction on Market Street will be able to turn onto Station Road.
A spokesperson for NCDOT explained this is called a “reduced conflict intersection” and will improve safety and traffic flow.
WWAY submitted a public records request to the City of Wilmington and WPD to find out crash data at the intersection over the last five years, but have not yet heard back.
