MESA, AZ — Residents living near the intersection of State Route 24 and Signal Butte Road say it’s becoming increasingly perilous after police responded to two serious accidents there over the weekend, both caused by red-light runners.
According to Mesa Police, officers worked both crashes within days of each other. Sunday’s wreck was the most severe—a van carrying multiple people collided with another vehicle, killing one person and sending eight others to the hospital. Early Tuesday morning, as the holiday weekend ended, another serious crash was reported at the same intersection; police again blamed a motorist who ran a red light.
Neighbors say these incidents are part of a troubling trend as traffic grows and speeds increase along the busy stretch, which now sees about 62,000 cars per day. The Arizona Department of Transportation raised the speed limit from 45 to 55 mph last December, a change residents argue has made the area even more hazardous.
“So you get the red-light runners who’ll run it, so you have to be careful. Making turns or crossing because people run the red lights. It’s not real safe,” said neighbor Nancy Mince, who lives about a half-mile from the intersection.
Residents have pressed city leaders to take action—only to be told to wait until ongoing construction on the Gateway Freeway is complete. Some, including Mince, feel that’s not soon enough.
Asked what should be done to improve safety, Mince replied: “I don’t know. You can’t have cops there all the time.”
Mince believes mis-timed traffic signals create gaps that red-light runners exploit. Lynn, who lives nearby, agreed.
“It sneaks up on you. I think there’s plans, but I’d like to see it go faster because the traffic is beating the construction,” Lynn said.
A spokesperson for Mesa Police said he is unaware of any issues with the current traffic signal timing, but neighbors remain worried that without immediate changes, another major crash could be just a matter of time.
