How Dangerous Is This Marin Avenue Intersection?

After dark, spotting pedestrians on the crosswalk on Marin Avenue at Tulare is difficult, to say the least. The lack of street lighting, coupled with a blind turn and speeding traffic, makes this intersection a dangerous one, according to locals.

On Monday night, by being hit by a car here. No fault has been assigned in the incident — it was dark, De Martini wasn't wearing a helmet, and the Berkeley Police Department's investigation is ongoing. But community members have responded by drawing attention to the dangers the intersection poses to all types of traffic, from vehicles to pedestrians.

"Even with traffic calming measures, cars still speed," said Marcy Greenhut on the Berkeley Patch Facebook page.

Mary Nicely added that she lives three doors down from the intersection and never crosses there, no matter what time of day. "People drive too fast and it is dark as hell at night," she said, adding that she has complained to the Berkeley Public Works Department about the lack of lighting — to no avail.

Krista Miller, who lives on Tulare Avenue, says that she and her two children have caused two fender benders crossing the intersection in the past six months. Speeding cars were too close to one another or speeding, she says, and therefore unprepared to stop.

Miller's husband, Ryan Smith, says that he spoke to the Berkeley Police Department about the dangers of the intersection and was told to take the matter to the city council. 

Berkeley Patch will be investigating city and police efforts to make this Marin Avenue intersection safer, as well as quantifying traffic collisions and incidents. If you have any information to share, please comment below or email berkeley@patch.com.

Has this been a dangerous intersection for you or your family? Share your experiences in the comments.