Oxford's Crash-Prone Intersection

If you drive in Oxford, then you may be well aware of the most dangerous intersections around town or how bad traffic is on Jackson Avenue most hours of the day.
“It’s awful. I’ve been here for 20 plus years, and I guess in the last five years it has just been awful. I avoid Jackson Avenue. I’ll take the highway or back roads,” said Ashley Rankin, Hub Senior Property Manager and Oxford resident.
One of the most dangerous intersections in town is where Anchorage Road meets Jackson Avenue This intersection once had a red light, but police say the city removed it in an attempt to improve traffic conditions.
Though police do track the trouble spots, accidents occur daily throughout the city.
“On average probably five or six just over town,” according to OPD Patrolman Mark Whitaker. “We probably have the majority of them from this spot [intersection of Jackson Avenue and Anchorage Road] to Thacker and six.”
Whitaker says he only sees one solution.
“In this exact location probably a red light because of the amount of traffic the students trying to get to school. They come here. They have nowhere to turn. Other than that I’m not real sure how to fix the problem.”
Rankin has other ideas to fix the growing pains of Oxford’s traffic, “They need to widen the roads and maybe make more lanes or divert traffic in different areas. Coming off of the highway do more exits. Especially game weekends is awful. Those people who are from Oxford we avoid town on game weekends because you just can’t go anywhere.”
She continued, “They need to get a better plan for it because Oxford is growing so fast.”
As traffic conditions worsen with Oxford’s growing population, residents and visitors anticipate a solution to the traffic issues.

This story was written by Wes Cooper. He can be reached at jwcooper@go.olemiss.edu.