Valley roadways among the most dangerous in the nation, study says
Our roads in the Valley are some of the deadliest in the country, per a new traffic study. Why it matters: The analysis, conducted by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), could lead to new countermeasures to make our roads safer . MAG is a nonprofit dedicated to addressing regional challenges. It counts 28 Valley cities and towns, among other entities, as members. Driving the news: Last month, MAG presented its findings from an examination of 2020-24 traffic data, comparing it with 2014-19 data. The study found that roadway safety in the broader Valley — which includes parts of Pinal County — is bad and getting worse. By the numbers: Here's how the MAG area ranked out of 52 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), which set policy for their regions. Photo: Maricopa Association of Governments Tucson, Memphis, Fresno and Tampa face similar traffic fatality issues, per MAG interim safety policy manager Maggie Wong. Zoom in: 30% of fatalities involved "vulnerable road users" — think cyclers and pedestrians — and 70% occurred on non-residential roadways. The Valley ranked poorly in pedestrian deaths, non-residential roadway deaths and intersection deaths. What they're saying: " Unfortunately, not many surprises," Wong tells Axios. "We know that
