Fishers motorists worried about ‘dangerous’ intersection
FISHERS (WISH) – It’s described as one of the most dangerous intersections in Fishers.
On Wednesday afternoon, Fishers Police Department posted an image of a crash at 126th Street and Enterprise Drive. Since then, there have been dozens of comments and shares on that post. Many people are now calling for change.
The intersection is just east of State Road 37. There is no traffic light or median at 126th and Enterprise, and there are five lanes of traffic.
A spokesperson for Fishers police confirmed that it is one of their busier areas for accidents. He said many of the crashes happen because it’s tough for people making a left turn to see across all five lanes and he said drivers don’t always yield to those with the right of way.
One woman told 24-Hour News 8 she knows the dangers of that intersection all too well.
“It is difficult at times to drive through the intersection. I avoided it for the first couple of years after the accident,” said Kristi Bische, a Fishers resident.
In a matter of seconds her life changed forever. On Dec. 1, 2013, her husband, Sean Bische, was killed as a driver attempted to turn in the intersection.
“She was unable to see my husband coming in the other lane of traffic and he swerved to avoid hitting her, lost control of his motorcycle and was killed instantly,” said Bische.
In the years that followed accidents continued.
According to data from the state of Indiana’s website, 126th and Enterprise was listed as one of the top 10 most dangerous intersections in Hamilton County in 2014 and 2015. The most recent statistics posted are from 2015. There were 22 crashes in the intersection that year alone.
Some say, it’s only getting worse.
“I’ve run the store here for about five plus years and it has been bad, but it has progressively gotten worse and worse as traffic has built up,” said Oliver Beeson with Motion Cycling.
Located off 126th and Enterprise, the employees at this bicycle shop often see and hear the crashes right outside their windows.
“A lot of the westbound traffic will basically be coming through really quick in the far right lane and usually you see somebody getting t-boned turning into the businesses here. It is pretty bad,” said Beeson.
It happens so often, employees have started keeping track on a whiteboard.
“I’ve had some near misses myself with vehicles in the area. You just can’t see,” said Bische.
She said it’s time for something to be done to increase safety at the intersection.
“I have two boys that lost their father and I don’t like to think of anyone else being hurt, let alone killed at that intersection.”
According to the Hamilton County’s website, construction on State Road 37 will start in 2018. Roundabouts will be placed at State Road 37 and 126th. Initial renderings posted online still show Enterprise Drive without a traffic signal or median blocking left turns.