Undergoing home renovations, and looking to install new or add to your existing paving?

You are not alone. Australias love affair with outdoor living is solidified into our culture, with homeowners across the nation often looking to add lasting value, style, personality and functionality to their own spaces.

When you select a reputable installer, the process can be quite simple and enjoyable. In fact, with the right expertise on hand, the most work you will probably need to do is give your tick of approval on the finished product.

According to Brikmakers Installation Manager Andy Miller, choosing the correct paving to create the desired effect should not be the only consideration when you are in the planning stage of your driveway, alfresco or landscaping project. What lies beneath is just as important, if not more, than the finished layer.

If this isnt done properly, the pavers might look good for a while but the job can deteriorate over time, he said.

This is why it is so important to get someone who knows what needs to be done for a professional finish.

Brikmakers comprehensive installation services are managed by experienced Installation Managers, who oversee carefully selected, insured contractors.

Mr Miller said many people opted for larger format pavers, a trend extending from the popularity of large ceramic tiling inside homes.

We have just released a new product called Trentapave 40, which is a lighter weight and easier to handle product for the contractors, he said.

This allows us to keep the installation price competitive with standard paving.

Paving is also a great way to link your home with your garden, with many shapes, textures and colours available to choose from.

For example, rectangular bricks can be laid in a Herringbone pattern, with washed or exposed aggregate paving ideal for trafficable areas and smoother paver surfaces for pedestrian areas.

If the house is a light colour, a darker contrast in paving can really make the home pop. It could also blend into a window frame or gutters darker colours, Mr Miller said.

Some people prefer the paving to blend with the homes colours to make other features on the house or the landscaping stand out.

All Brikmakers paving installations are backed with a 12-month guarantee on all workmanship and Brikmakers products.

CONTACT

Brikmakers, 1300 360 344

install@brikmakers.com

http://www.brikmakers.com

Read more:
Paving the way from drab to fab - The West Australian

With more winter storms expected across Illinois, local and state authorities are working to clear the roads and respond to traffic accidents.

Heavy snowfall can lead to labor like shoveling on driveways and sidewalks. For roads, local government steps in. The City of Rockford has a fleet of more than 20 trucks for snow and ice removal. Staff are unionized, so they bid on routes. Public Works Director Kyle Saunders explained.

"They get the opportunity to pick which route they like. We have both arterial and residential routes. So they kind of get that opportunity. Its something theyre going to live with all season," he said.

The trucks start by plowing and salting the busiest roads, then move on to more residential roads, sometimes with the help of contractors. Saunders said the citys odd-even parking ordinance helps with this process.

"For instance, if its an odd day, starting at 8 a.m., if we declare that snow emergency, we need cars to be parked on the odd side of the street. That way, it gives us that opportunity to get one clear pass through so our drivers can get in without having to slalom between parked cars."

Trucks also spread salt on the roads to prevent ice. Its made from calcium carbonate but Saunders said its made more effective by mixing in juice from sugar beets.

"Sugar actually lowers the freezing point lower than salt, so its something that that beet juice element certainly helps us coat that rock salt," he said.

If theres leftover salt from a previous year, Rockford will use the excess in this years clearing efforts. But outside of city roads, the responsibility for cleaning up falls on the Illinois Department of Transportation. Engineer of Operations Amy Eller explained.

"We have the interstate system, we have the state highways, like an Illinois route," she said."Some of those do run through various cities, which are what we maintain. Others, we have agreements with some local municipalities to help us with maintenance of those."

IDOT gets weather forecasts from several sources, such as the National Weather Service. Based on current conditions, it then deploys its plows as soon as it can.

"There are certain conditions where we cant do that, but most generally, if we can get out, we will be pre-treating, pre-wetting. We put down a salt brine to keep any precipitation from freezing to the pavement."

On larger roads, the plows often work in groups.

"Youll have one truck out ahead of the next one, but theyre all travelling in tandem to clear all the lanes at the same time," she said.

Though a state agency, IDOT localizes its plans by working through nine distinct districts.

"Even though were responsible for the whole state, we have our units broken down so that its very manageable. They all know their areas very well. Theyve all become very familiar with them," Eller said.

But plowing is only part of the job. The Illinois State Police work with IDOT on a regular basis, starting with social media campaigns regarding safety. Lieutenant Colonel David Byrd is an assistant deputy director. He says one of the most important messages ISP tries to get out is for drivers to take their time.

"Wed rather you guys try to be there early than try to crunch it and get there on time because thats when you might increase your speeds in areas where you probably shouldnt be doing it," he said. "The road surfaces might be icy, slippery, it might be snow covered."

This also includes taking ones time around slow cars and plows.

"Hes probably going slow because of the road conditions. So at that point, we might need to take heed and follow his lead," Byrd said.

When accidents do occur, ISP first responds to those that involve direct injuries. Then, they address those that block lanes.

"We want to prevent that secondary crash, or a third crash," Byrd said. "Thats where you can get a pileup. And believe me, thats the last thing we want, is a pileup on the Interstate."

Fender benders that dont block traffic are the lowest priority, but whatever the accident, Byrd said drivers need to heed Scotts Law which is "...where you slow your speed and move to the left of the unit or the emergency vehicles that are stopped."

Byrd said the number one message during snow and ice: Stay off the roads if possible.

"If we can reduce the number of motorists on the interstate, its going to assist us, going to assist law enforcement in general, do their job on a day with severe weather like we had last year with the polar vortex."

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Sugar Beets Are One Way To Fight Snow And Ice Hazards - WNIJ and WNIU

Pavement parking could be prevented by installing the call devices along kerbs and pedestrian areas according to the inventor of the tool.The catclaw can be positioned on the side of kerbs and will unveil a lethal spike when the device is pushed down with force.

The small dome will only take three minutes to install and requires no power supply or maintenance to run.

Catclaws do not pose a threat to pedestrians as they can only be activated by a certain weight passing over the device.

The ETA said the prototype model will trigger on 200kg and confirmed a cargo bike could, in theory, be heavy enough to expose the blade.

The Environmental Transport Association (ETA)which hasdeveloped the design said the device could have prevented recent terror attacks involving vehicles travelling at high speed.

READ MORE:Is it against the law to park outside someone else's house?

Car-related incidents such as the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge attacks in 2017 may have had a different outcome if something had pierced through the rubber.

Inventor Yannick Read of the ETA claims the device could solve multiple issues surrounding road danger.

He said: Were addressing road danger theres a real problem with drivers parking on the pavement or driving on the pavement because they cant be bothered to wait.

However, the new device is unlikely to ever be made road legal due to the extra risks the tool possesses.

DON'T MISSDrivers face fine for parking in wrong space at supermarket - rules[ANALYSIS]Make 1,000 by renting out your driveway[TIPS]Your car insurance policy can be invalidated by doing this[COMMENT]

Many road users may not be aware their tyre has been pierced at all which could lead to blowouts and car crashes on major roads in a safety risk.

Many motorists attacked the device online, branding the tool as a bad idea because tyres were a vital safety component of a vehicle.

Commenting on the group's website, motorist Geofrey Biggins said: If you punctured a tyre and the person was unaware and drove off they could have all sorts of accidents.

What if it just caught the edge of a tyre and partially ripped the sidewall and the person then happily drives onto a motorway and has a blowout and wipes out a bus full of kids.

Another user said the device looked awful and was a hazard for motorists who may need to use the pavements for legitimate reasons.

He said: Plenty of our roads are simply too narrow and too congested for this to be in any way viable.

The ETA says the devices only cost a couple of pounds to produce because it is built from just four readily available components,

The tool got its name from the cats eyes that line major roads across the UK and also compress under the heavyweight of a car.

Pavement parking is only illegal in London where motorists can be hit with 70 fines for causing an obstruction.

Motorists are urged to not block pavements with their vehicle but this is not illegal across the rest of the UK.

However, this could soon change after the Transport Committee revealed plans to introduce a nationwide ban.

The group said pavement parking can have a considerable impact on many people's lives and has put many locals at risk of social isolation.

Inventor Mr Read added: Weve shown the principle works. It wouldnt be appropriate to put them everywhere. Id be interested to hear their objections.

"Its illegal to drive on the pavement, theres no excuse to do it. So if youre not breaking the law your tyres are safe."

Here is the original post:
Pavement parking: Deadly road spike tool could give your car a puncture in seconds - Express

Driveways Nottingham is offering the lowest priced quote in the Nottinghamshire area for driveways services. Driveways Nottingham is the most professional company in Nottingham for driveway services, taking care of commercial and residential customers.

For every job, Driveways Nottingham ensures the highest quality of work. The team has many years of experience working with a variety of materials like natural stone, tarmac, and much more. You can contact them directly for further information about this.

A few examples of some of their work includes driveways, car parks, patios, and more of which can be found online on their website.

Driveways Nottingham is proud of the top-notch services they provide to residents in the Nottinghamshire area. Driveways Nottingham have a list compiled online of these services, some of which include the following; concrete driveways, resin bonded gravel driveways, driveway surfacing, patterned concrete, gravel driveways, and the rest of their services can be found online.

If you would like to view a sample of their work for one of these services that you may require, or read more about these services, you can find them all on their website.

As mentioned, Driveways Nottingham provide a superb range of services, from driveway design to paving installations. The team is happy to meet and discuss their available services and what they do every week when on a contracting job.

Driveways Nottingham also offer patio enclosure with surfacing in any material listed above. Or if you would like to request a particular material, the team is happy to accommodate you. This is because the team of professionals at Driveways have experience with all types of materials so that you will be in good hands.

Also, Driveways Nottingham offers an Asphalt Contractor, who serves all of NG1 to NG90 Postcodes. With that, it must be mentioned that the driveway company is well known for its excellent work with clients, particularly in these areas, due to their hard work and reliability.

Finally, one other popular service offered by Driveways Nottingham is their bound or bond bonded service. The professionals take care of this by fixing your surface if its not uninformed or if its not attractive, and they do this by using the resin to bound and bond your driveway, whichever service you require, resin Driveways Nottingham can take care of it.

Whats even better about this service, is that Driveways Nottingham offer the lowest priced quotes in Nottingham, so, if you decide to request a quote first before you go ahead with the job, you will be pleasantly surprised with the price. Not only that, but you will end up with a clean and tidy driveway that looks fantastic and is durable too.

Driveways Nottingham have been in the business for 30 years, which is one reason why you should choose them. They do not require a deposit upfront, and they will only request full payment after the work is completed and you approve of the quality of the job done.

So, if youre looking for great prices and a high standard of work in the Nottinghamshire area, then contact Driveways Nottingham today on 0115 697 1400. Driveways Nottingham have a range of all our driveway services to choose from, and if you would like to hear from some of their clients, there are many testimonials online that you can check out. You can find these at https://www.drivewaysnottingham.org.uk and view their superb work.

Source:https://thenewsfront.com/driveways-nottingham-offer-the-lowest-priced-quote-in-the-nottinghamshire-area/

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Driveways Nottingham Offer The Lowest Priced Quote in the Nottinghamshire area - The News Front

Public Affairs show with Gary Rabine, CEO [Rabine Group] airs this week in Chicago, Rockford and Aurora, See airing schedule, below

Jeff Berkowitz: JB [and many of the Dems] want to raise your income tax with the progressive income tax. Property taxes, are they high in IL? Workers' comp. insurance, is that high in IL? Are those the kind of things that might drive you out of IL?

Gary Rabine: You mention are they high? High would be to me, higher than the average... but when you are the highest, that's ridiculous, that's crazy high, that's where we're at in IL, we're off our rockers high!

*********

Gary Rabine [CEO, Rabine Group]: Gov. Pritzker said to me, "Gary, you built all your businesses here, your family is all here, you're never gonna go anywhere, I mean, that's exactly how he said it... and God Bless him, if he really believes that that's the case, but that can't be the case, I can't risk...

*********

Gary Rabine: If I were born with a few billion dollars, I might be the same way as JB Pritzker, I might be trading businesses. Heck, it's a lot cheaper. All my businesses that I have, these small and mid-sized businesses, I am paying income tax for all profit because I am S corp. and LLCs. JB, he's trading businesses, so he's paying capital gains tax, half of what I am.

*************

Tonight's Rockford edition of Public Affairs features Gary Rabine, CEO of the Rabine Group and advocate for Free Enterprise. It airs at 8:30 pm, Cable Ch. 17, in Rockford and surrounding suburbs. The program, featuring Rabine and a discussion of growing businesses, IL and Nat'l politics and capitalism, also airs:

--in Chicago this Saturday morning, 10:28 am, Cable Ch. 21 (CAN TV) and Sunday morning, 9:58 am, Cable Ch. 19 (CAN TV)

-- in Aurora this coming Saturday and Monday night, 6 pm, Cable Ch. 10, aka Aurora Community Television and ACTV-10

Rabine discusses with host Jeff Berkowitz how he began, after graduating from high school, a driveway paving business that was transformed, over time, into a group of major companies that have been a source of hope, growth and aopportunity for his employees and improved choices for his customers, both in and out of Illinois.

Rabine and Berkowitz discuss and debate, among other issues, some of Gov. Pritzker fiscal plans, IL pension reform, Pritzker's proposed IL progressive income tax and Democratic Party Presidential Primary candidates and President Trump.

Rabine also discusses what is necessary for IL to become more competitive in business.

You can also watch 24/7 the program featuring Ditch Digger CEO Gary Rabine by clicking here

**************************

Jeff Berkowitz: ...[W]hat's your elevator pitch?

Gary Rabine[CEO, Rabine Group]: One of the most important things ... is how I differentiate myself... So first ... we give away ... the best engineering we can find in the world when it comes to pavement, stormwater and structural engineering for roofing, we... say "Here's our engineers, use them how you like to help you plan your properties"...we did that originally through boots on the ground, but today we do that using drones, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence.

*******

Gary Rabine [CEO, Rabine Group]: Gov. Pritzker said to me, "Gary, you built all your businesses here, your family is all here, you're never gonna go anywhere, I mean, that's exactly how he said it... and God Bless him, if he really believes that that's the case, but that can't be the case, I can't risk the lives & jobs we are talking about, I can't risk all these jobs just because I want to be here- right?

Berkowitz: If you could persuade [those in control of] the IL State Government to change and start going in the other direction: [LEGISLATE] lower property taxes, lower income taxes, [Don't support] a progressive income tax, [ADOPT THE NEEDED REFORMS TO] lower workers compensation rates, would that be Nirvana for you?

From Public Affairs, taped on November 18, 2019 in the Chicago Loop offices of Residco

Filed under: Uncategorized

Tags: Aurora Community television, CAN TV, capitalism, Chicago Access Network TV, competing in a non-union state, Competing in a union state, Ditchdigger CEO, Fixing IL Business Climate, Gary Rabine, Governor Rauner, IL Business Climnate, IL pension reforms, IL progressive income tax, IL taxpayer funded abortion, IL workers' compensation reform, Impact of business regulations on IL job growth, impact of high IL income tax rates on IL jobs, Impact of high property taxes on IL job growth, impact of unions on IL employee welfare, impact of unions on IL job growth, Impact of unions on jobs in IL, Jeanne Ives, Jeff Berkowitz, paving large parking lots across the country, paving parking lots, Public Affairs, Rockford community access TV, SB 40 in Illinois, using drones and satellite imagery, Why IL Governor Rauner lost re-election

Original post:
Berkowitz w/CEO Rabine on IL's business environment & how to improve it; Airing in Chicago, Aurora & Rockford, Cable & Web - ChicagoNow

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. City officials do not plan on calling in private contractors to deal with snow this week.

Indianapolis Department of Public Works spokesperson, Ben Easley, says the department discussed the matter. They decided the conditions didnt call for private plow and salt truck drivers.

Our priority with DPW is taking care of those major thoroughfares, secondary streets, especially for emergency services and making sure that city services can continue, Easley said.

The department based the decision on a longstanding city policy that says DPW will call in private contractors if Indianapolis receives six inches of snow in a single weather event. The National Weather Service says Indianapolis received 7.4 inches of snow from Sunday night to Tuesday morning. However, the snow didnt fall all at once.

With this event, weve had two different waves of snow over the past couple days, Easley said. Theyre two different events. And the other thing to remember is pavement temperatures. So if the pavement is really warm, you may see the first couple inches that fall on the streets just melt immediately.

Easley said DPW also considers the conditions in the weather forecast after a snowfall when making the decision.

Because were seeing the sun come through, Easley said. Were seeing an area of dry weather throughout the rest of the week, that we hope that will take care of some of those residential areas and they can look forward to clearer streets in the next couple days here.

The last time Indianapolis called in private contractors for residential streets; about five years ago, it came at a cost of roughly $500,000.

Some neighborhoods hire their own private contractors to salt and plow their residential streets.

In the Irvington area, snow packed down and frozen into a solid layer of ice on the road. Jan Deferbrache, owner of The Magic Candle at the corner of Audubon and Bonner, said the icy streets were hurting her bottom line.

We lose business if they cant get here, Deferbrache said. Especially with senior citizens, and they cant get down through here.

Deferbrache said she wishes DPW would send salt trucks down her street. She and her neighbors understand theyre on their own to handle the slick conditions.

The neighborhood people who shovel, throw salt out and ride our cars back and forth in order to get it down enough so that customers and other people can get through, she said.

Down the street from the shop, Taylor Thornell was struggling to get his car from the icy street onto his driveway. He said he would love to see a city truck or contractor dropping salt near his house.

Makes it pretty tough, Thornell said. I mean the main streets right there, but it takes forever to get out to them.

Easley said they have discussed altering city policy about treating residential streets. For now, hes not able to give specifics.

As of Tuesday, DPW has a full callout of 80 drivers working on primary and secondary streets. Those routes will continue until 11:00 p.m.

After Tuesday, Easley said 24 trucks will continue to watch for trouble spots into Wednesday morning.

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Indy DPW: No plans to call in contractors to treat residential streets this week - FOX 59 Indianapolis

TROY The city of Troy wishes to provide the following guidelines on the citys winter weather treatment policies.

General overview

This information is intended to help residents and drivers understand the citys approach to dealing with typical winter storms. It is a general guideline only because each winter event is unique and must be attacked individually. Pre-treatment, plowing, and salting operations will be evaluated on an event-by-event basis, based on the type, temperature, severity, longevity, and timing of the winter event.

Every road in Troy is classified as either a primary, secondary, or tertiary (local) street. Primaries include main arteries, state routes, hills, bridges, and the streets immediately surrounding schools. Secondary roads connect primary roads to local residential streets. Local streets include residential roads, dead-end streets, and cul-de-sacs.

A map showing the roadway classifications can be found at http://www.troyohio.gov/DocumentCenter/View/737.

When possible, the city will pre-treat the streets with a liquid brine mix. It can only be applied on dry pavement or when the weather forecast does not anticipate rain before snowfall. Brine pre-treatment is only effective before a snow event and only for small storms forecast for one inch or less of accumulation. This treatment will also help alleviate larger snows from bonding to the road making it easier to plow. When the forecast allows, city crews may pre-treat local streets one or two days in advance of the forecasted event. Primaries will be pre-treated as close to the forecasted event as possible, to minimize the elimination of brine by heavy vehicular traffic.

Salting operations

Primary roads are the first priority for salting, which will occur any time the roads become icy and slick and when snow accumulation is less than three inches. Depending upon the road conditions and other factors, secondary and local streets will also be salted, either at the same time or directly after salting of primary roads is completed.

Plowing operations

Plowing may begin once primary roads are generally covered by three or more inches of snow, regardless of the time of day or night of the event. Often, the city plows when there is less than three inches of accumulation due to the weight of the snow, severity of the event, speed at which snow is falling, etc. Please note that in the case of a major event (four or more inches of snow), plowing of local streets may be restricted to providing a single path, in order to provide two-way traffic on these streets.

Troy residents and business owners are reminded that City Codified Ordinances will require all property owners to not blow, shovel, or plow snow into city streets. Violators may receive a ticket and fine.

Property owners are also required to keep their sidewalks free and clear of ice and snow. In doing so, please be sure to do the following:

Shovel snow from driveways and place it to the right side (looking out the driveway to the street) of your driveway. This places the snow past the driveway, so snow plows will not plow the snow back into your driveway. The city cannot come back to plow out driveways.

Push the snow away from any fire hydrants and storm sewercatch basins. Keeping hydrants clear will greatly assist the Fire Department in the case of a fire, and the open catch basins allow melting snow to drain and not flood the streets.

Remove vehicles parked on the streets, so that plow trucks can plow to the curb and vehicles are not plowed in with snow.

For questions or comments regarding snow and ice removal, please contact the city of Troy Central Service and Maintenance Facility at 937-335-1914.

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Troy releases winter weather treatment info - Troy Daily News

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It's crunch time for Indian Canyon Drive's conversion project in downtown Palm Springs and city staff said last month major road closures were expected this week.

But justa few days ago, they announced plans changedand traffic will now be able to flow through the project site, albeit at a slower pace.

This week's work involves paving and the city originally expected full closures that would change each day and require zero vehicles in areas under construction. Instead, workers will be working lane-by-lane and leave two open for traffic.

The lane closures will likely cover "several blocks at a time," Senior Civil Engineer Donn Uyeno said. The nearest alternate routes to the east are Avenida Caballeros and Sunrise Way.

Access will be available to businesses on Indian Canyon, but driveways will essentially be cut in half and "slightly larger than the width of a car," Uyeno added.

Business owners and their customers should plan ahead and look for other places to park.City staff has been referring everyone to the downtown parking structure or underground garage.

Traffic backs up on northbound Indian Canyon Drive at Alejo Road in Palm Springs on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019 as part of a conversation project. The road is being converted to a two-way street and paving is scheduled to last all week on Indian Canyon between Alejo and Camino Parocela.(Photo: Colin Atagi/The Desert Sun)

Traffic news: Ironman La Quinta traffic not as bad as last year

Traffic news: Thanksgiving traffic congests Interstate 10 through San Gorgonio Pass

Paving may be scheduled to last only this week, but Indian Canyon willstill be a one-way road and the final conversion won't happen until the week of Jan. 5.

Twonorthbound lanes are being removed and one will be used for southbound traffic and the other will be converted into a center turnlane. Roadside parking will remain. Sidewalks will be adjusted, and traffic signals will be renovated or replaced as far north as Tachevah Drive so traffic flow can remain steady.

Work is scheduled from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Jan. 5, and a new section of the road will have two-way traffic by each morning, according to the city. Unless weather causes problems, adjustments are as scheduled:

Holiday travel begins later this week

Travel experts say Friday may be the day everyone begins hittingthe road for the holidays.

The busiest travel days by air are Dec. 21-23, but the entire travel period lasts through Jan. 1, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

With unemployment at record lows and household net worth at record highs, more Americans and Southern Californians are feeling able to afford holiday vacations, said Filomena Andre, the Auto Clubs vice president for travel products and services.

Anaheim is a top destination on a national level, so roads in or near Orange County will likely be congested. Top destinations for Southern Californians include Las Vegas, San Diego, the Central Coast, Grand Canyon and Mexico.

Use that information when deciding where to travel for the rest of the month. You may just want to avoid those areas.

Desert Sun reporter Colin Atagi covers crime, public safetyandroadand highway safety. He can be reached at Colin.Atagi@desertsun.com or follow him at @tdscolinatagi.

Read or Share this story: https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/traffic/2019/12/15/major-works-happening-week-indian-canyons-conversion/4410075002/

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There's major work for Indian Canyon's conversion, but traffic has more room than expected - Desert Sun

"I truly believe the best things in life are a result of being bold and being real. Megan Rapinoe endorsing 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren.by Zinhle Essamuah

Published on 12/14/2019 at 7:00 PM

The House took ahistoric step forwardtoward the impeachment of President Donald Trump today, withthe Judiciary Committee approving the articles of impeachment and sending them to the House floor for a full vote next week. The committee vote took place this morning aftera ridiculous number of hours of debateover the past two days, wherein Republicans introduced a slew of amendments to try and slow the process and kill the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.All of them failed. We know theres been a lot of procedural updates on impeachment that have been a little hard to follow, but this isthe final step before Trump is formally impeached, so its a major one.

The two articles were approved in a 23-17 vote, with Democrats voting for it and Republicans voting against it. Read the articles of impeachment against Trumphere.

Know This:Donald J. Trump is now only the fourth president in U.S. history to face impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors.

A 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Tessa Majors, a student at Barnard College in New York City,according to local news reports. Law enforcement officials sayMajors was walking through a park near campus when a group of boys (four or five, according to witnesses) tried to rob her. She was stabbed at some point during the struggle and died in the hospital. The 13-year-old arrested was charged with second-degree felony murder, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon, but will not be tried as an adult. His statement to investigators led them totwo other 14-year-old suspects potentially involved in the incident.Majors death has shocked and shaken the community at Barnard, a small, all-womens school in NYCs Morningside Heights neighborhood that is affiliated with Columbia University.The city is offering counseling to students and increasing law enforcement presence near the park.

Know This:Tessa Majors was originally from Virginia and was attending her first year at Barnard College. Students say she was interested in journalism and music.We are devastated by the senseless loss of our beautiful and talented Tess,her family said in a statement. We are thankful for the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from across the country.

Major League Baseball and the Players Association announced big changes to the leagues drug abuse program.Minor league players will now be tested for addictive drugs like opioids and no longer tested for weed. Major league players on a 40-man roster are not tested for weed, but non-40 man roster players in the minor leagues were. The consequences for a positive weed test on a players first offense has been a suspension of 50 games and13 players were suspended in 2019. Now the league istreating cannabis use the same as alcohol use, where players could be disciplined for related misconduct.Opioids and cocaine were among a list of drugs added to the list of banned substances. If a player tests positive for one of these so-called drugs of abuse, they will be referred to a board of experts who will deliver a personalized drug treatment plan a significant shift in drug-testing policy from punishment and isolation to treatment and prevention.Players will also be required to undergo aneducation program on the dangers of opioid pain medications, as well as practical approaches to cannabis use. The new rules will be in effect during 2020 Spring Training."The opioid epidemic in our country is an issue of significant concern to Major League Baseball,"said MLB Deputy Commissioner & Chief Legal Officer Dan Halem. "It is our hope that this agreement which is based on principles of prevention, treatment, awareness and education will help protect the health and safety of our Players."

KnowThis:The change in drug policy comes afterAngels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died in July and was found to have fentanyl and opioids in his system. Fentanyl was not explicitly listed on the MLBs banned substances list at the time.

The Federal Communications Commission hasunanimously approved a planfor a 3-digit suicide prevention number: 988. The number will link callers to a network of already-operating crisis centers around the country. This network isnt new (you can access 100+ call centers by calling 1-800-273-TALK orchatting online), but the FCC says the number will"make it easier for Americans in crisis to access potentially life-saving resources."Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) applauded the FCCs moveon Twitterand urged Congress to move forward on thebipartisan billhe proposed in October, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act. The bill (with the same aim of setting up the 988 hotline) was co-sponsored by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The 988 number is not yet operational andwon't be available by text, but Lines for Life offers a text service you can access by texting 273TALK to 839863. All major phone providers have been asked to accommodate the 988 number within 18 months.

Know This:The U.S. suicide rate is up 33% since 1999,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.It is the 10th leading cause of death in the country. If you or someone you know is in crisis, there are resources for you: Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visitSpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

Tomorrow marks seven years since the heartbreaking shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, in which 26victims were killed: 20 children (all ages 6 or 7) and six educators. The shooter (who also killed his mother before going to the school) carried30-round, high-capacity magazines and shot 154 bullets in less than 5 minutes that day.The tragedy shook the nation. President Barack Obama gave emotional remarks in anational addressfollowing the tragedy."The holidays have never been the same,Mark Barden, the father of one of the young victims, saidin remembrance of his son Daniel. I remember he used to run out onto the driveway, sometimes barefoot on the cold pavement, to give his cousins a big hug when they would arrive for the celebration. He loved his family more than anything. Barden is the founder ofSandy Hook Promise,which trains students and adults to know the signs of gun violence.Though this tragedy happened seven years ago,mass shootings involving high-capacity magazines have continued to plague the country, with gun reform advocates even releasinga 2018 yearbookhighlighting all the students lost to school shootings last year. Since then, survivors and advocates have published powerful PSAs (including a chillingback-to-school essentialsvideo, where kids highlight their bulletproof school items) and have pushed fornew legislation imploring Congress to move gun reform legislation forward. Years later, many parents of the victims remainovercome with palpable grief, andthe community continues to mournthe loss of these young lives. If the Sandy Hook children were alive, theyd be in junior high today.

Know This:Shockingly, thistragedy has been shadowed by far-right conspiracy theories and online trolls. Lenny Pozners 6-year-old son was killed in the shooting, and ever since,hes been the target of death threats fueled by far-right commentator Alex Jones conspiracy theorythat his son's murder was a hoax and that the event was fueled by crisis actors.Pozner and his family have relocated at least seven times as a result of the targeting. Heres what thegrieving father has to say.One last thing:The official UK election results are in,confirmingthat Prime Minister Boris Johnson has won a large majority.The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said late last night that he will resign his position early next year.Thanks for reading. Be kind to yourself this weekend, and well see you next week!

Zinhle Essamuah,KnowThis Host and Correspondent; Sari Soffer, Supervising Producer, NowThis; andVersha Sharma, Senior Correspondent, NowThis

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KnowThis: Why This Sport Won't Test Players For Weed Anymore - NowThis

Vehicles pass through the intersection at Interstate 10 and Baseline Road in Tempe on Dec. 10, 2019.(Photo: Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic)

Over the past few months, The Arizona Republic has revieweddata from numerous Valley cities to assess which intersections have had the most vehicle crashes.

From the West Valley to East Valley, The Republic pinpointedintersections with the highest number of collisions from 2016 through 2018, which for most cities was themost recent complete year of data available. Using those numbers, The Republic identified what could be considered the most dangerous intersections in those cities.

The data shows more than half of the intersection-related collisions across the Valley occurred at or within about a mile of major freeways, where traffic tends to back up.

In several cities, the same major road is tied to multiple intersections that are among the most crash prone among them McDowell and Indian School roads in Phoenix,Bell Road in Surprise, Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale and Rural Road in Tempe.

The Republic's review of Phoenix found intersections where the greatest number of accidents occurred during the period reviewed were on the west side of the city, between Camelback and McDowell roads, and 27th and 75th Avenues in areas not far from major freeways.

"Many of Phoenixs roads carry a high volume of traffic; in fact, it is not uncommon to have 60,000 to 80,000 vehicles per day travel through our major intersections. Additionally, several of our major roads have over five or up to seven lanes of traffic," said Ashley Patton, a city spokeswoman.

Overall, the city has 65,857 intersection-related crashes over the three-year period.

The Republic used the crash data to determine which intersections have been the most dangerous over the three-year period reviewed in major Valley cities. The review relied on overall crashes rather than just fatalities because in most cities, traffic deaths are spread among numerous intersections and locations, whereas numerous crashes can occur at or near a single location.

Here is what the review found, followed by some further explanation and possible solutions:

Between 2016 and 2018, these intersections in the city of Phoenix had the most collisions, according toPatton.

Among those west Phoenixintersections, 51st, 67th and 75th avenues which run in a north-south direction connect to Interstate 10.McDowell Road is less than a quarter-mile north of the freeway, while Indian School is about 2.2 miles north of I-10.In addition,27th Avenue is about a quarter mile west of Interstate 17.

Overall, there were 465 fatal intersection-related collisions in Phoenix during the period, Patton said.

The intersections at27th Avenue and Bethany Home Road, Seventh Street and McDowell Road, 43rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road, Baseline Road andJesse Owens Parkway, 43rdandMissouri avenues, 43rd Avenue andHubbell Street and 83rdandVirginia avenues had the most fatal intersection-related collisions during that time, each totaling three, said Patton.

PEDESTRIAN DEATHS: Phoenix's deadly streets became even deadlier in 2018

From 2016-18, the following intersections in Scottsdale had the most traffic collisions, according toSam Taylor, a traffic engineeringanalystfor the city:

The city had more than 9,300 intersection-related collisions between 2016 and 2018, which includes minor and local intersections, said Taylor. Heexplainedthat Scottsdale classifies all collisions within 100 feet of an intersection as intersection-related.

Among the top 5, the two on Shea Boulevard were close tothe Loop 101 freeway, along with the No. 1 intersection at Frank Lloyd Wright. The other two were in south Scottsdale.

Scottsdale had a total of 21 fatal intersection-related collisions during those three years, according to Taylor. He added thatnone of those collisions occurred at the same intersection during that time.

AAA REPORT:Arizona ranks highest in nation for deadly red-light crashes

InGilbert, Val Vista Drive, a major north-south road that extends northward into Mesa, comes up multiple times among the intersections with the most collisions from2016 to 2018, according to dataprovided to The Republic by Sgt. Mark Marino of the Gilbert Police Department:

Of the 4,870 intersection-related collisions investigated by the city, 21 were fatal collisions that occurred at various locations across the town, according to Marino.He added that Gilbert classifies all collisions within 150 feet of an intersection as intersection-related.

During that same three-year period,the followingintersections in Tempe hadthe most collisions, according to data analyzed by The Republic:

Of approximately6,540 intersection-related collisions between 2016 and 2018, 15 were fatal, the data showed. While two of the fatal collisions occurred at the same intersection ofRural Road and Southern Avenue in 2016 and 2017, the others occurred at various intersections throughout the city.

Tempe has three major freeways that touch the landlocked community: Interstate 10, Loop 101 and Loop 202.

In Mesa, there were approximately8,600intersection-related collisions between 2015 and 2017, according todata analyzed by The Republic. Crash data reports for all of 2018 was not yet available, said Jason Flamofthe Mesa Police Department.

The data showed that the following intersections had the most collisions during the two-year period for which data was available:

In thoseyears, there was a total of 36fatal intersection-related collisions, according to the data.The data provided to The Republic did not specify ifanyintersections experiencedmorefatal collisions than others but Flam said amajority of the city's fatal collisions do not occur at intersections.

In Chandler, the following intersections had the most collisions from 2016 though 2018, according to data provided to The Republic:

The city had a total of 11,329 traffic collisions from 2016 through2018, 32 of which were fatal collisions, according to Seth Tyler, a spokesman for the Chandler Police Department. It's unclear how many of those total collisions and fatalitieswere intersection-related.

According toDebbie Albert, a traffic engineer for Glendale, these intersections had the mostcollisions between 2015 and 2017:

The city had a total of8,348 intersection-related collisions during those three years,29 of which were fatal, said Albert.Two of those fatal collisions occurred at Glendale and 83rd avenues while the rest occurred at various intersections throughout the city, she added.

In Glendale, collisionswithin 300 feet of an intersection are typically classified asintersection-related, according to Albert.

Peoria had approximately 6,400intersection-related collisions,according to 2016-2018data analyzed by The Republic. The data showed the following intersections had the most collisions:

There were 19 fatal intersection-related collisions during that time, none of which occurred at the same intersection, according to the data.

The following intersections in Surprise hadthe most collisions between 2016 and 2018, according to data provided to The Republic:

The data showed that the city had approximately 2,800 traffic collisions during that time, however, it's unclear how many of those were intersection-related.

Additionally, in those three years, Surprisehad a total offour fatal traffic collisions, all of which occurred at separate intersections, according to the data.

AZ DATA CENTRAL: These are the deadliest areas for pedestrians

For some of the cities, failure to yield, speed and disregarding the traffic signal were some of the major factors inmany of theintersection-related collisions.

"Speed too fast" was the highest-ranked violation committed by drivers in allintersection-related collisions in Mesa over the past three years,according to Flam, who added that "speed too fast" does not automatically mean the driver was exceeding the speed limit.

Failure to yield and disregarding thetraffic signal were the highest-rankedviolationsin the city's fatal intersection-related collisions, he added.

The violations were among the top factors in fatal and non-fatal intersection-related collisions in Phoenix, as well, according to Patton.

To improve safety, Phoenix's Street Transportation Departmentupgraded15 traffic signals with left-turn arrows last fiscal year upgrading left-turn arrows to flashing yellow arrows and addingleft-turn arrows orflashing yellow arrows tosignals that didn't have them, according to Patton. Several other Valley cities have adopted that system as well.

Research and studiesshowthat the upgrades could help reduce collisions, with flashing yellow arrows alone reducing collisions by 25%, she said, citingCrash Modification FactorsClearinghouse study published four years ago.

Phoenix also rebuilt 14traffic signals to meet current standards and improve visibility, installed 11 new traffic signals at unsignaled intersections and added advanced detectionto six traffic signals, said Patton.

She explained that advanced detection is atraffic signal technology that waits for a gap in traffic before turning yellow to minimize the number of timesa driver decides between drivingthrough a yellow light or stopping.

In the next three years, the department plans to upgrade more than 100 traffic signals, according to Patton, who also cited a more fundamental solution to reducing crashes.

"The city also encourages the public to obey traffic laws at all times and to stay alert on our roadways," said Patton, adding that the city'ssafety campaign, Heads Up, offers a list of safety tips for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Marino said many of the collisions in Gilbert weredue to "some sort of documented inattention."

"Traffic concentration around a high school, as an example of the intersection of Germann Road and Val Vista Drive, coupled with newer drivers, cellphone usage while driving and other distractions are recipes for collisions on all streets in the Valley," he said.

According to Marino, the townis examining data to determine if any crash trends existnearLoop 202and South Val Vista Drive, which he said is the town's worst intersection, averaging one collision every two weeks or26 collisions per year.

In the meantime, the Gilbert police areoperating an unmarked aggressive driving vehicle throughouttown that aims to enforce traffic laws and correct driving behaviors that have the tendency to cause collisions, said Marino.

An ArizonaGovernor's Office of Highway Safetygrant covered the vehicle's more than $47,000 price tag, according to a Sept. 23 Facebook post from the Gilbert Police Department.

"Drivers tend to drive differently when a fully marked police car or motorcycle is traveling with them in traffic.The (aggressive driving) car is built to blend in with traffic and is targeting drivers that are dangerous to the community and are driving with no regard to your safety," explained Marino.

Similar to Phoenix,the town utilizes "smart intersections" that evaluate traffic volume and lane occupancy and cycles the intersection accordingly to ensure efficiency and safety, according to Marino.

The town has also implemented asafe-driving campaign, "Speed Down. Eyes Up. Drive Safely,"that emphasizes safe driving.

Among the intersections in Glendale with the highest number of collisions over the past three years, 1/3 were rear-end collisions and another 1/3 were left-turn collisions while the remainder were other crash types, Albert said.

In addition to education and enforcementbyGlendale's traffic education team and police, Albert said the city is"working aggressively" to install flashing yellow arrows at all majorintersections because national studies have shown that they are better understood intelling drivers they need to yield.

The flashing yellow arrows will be installed at a total of 45 intersections, with a focus on major intersections such as59th and Glendale avenuesand 51stand Peoria avenues, she added.

She added that median islands are also being installed to limit turning movements at driveways closeto signalized intersections.

"The transportation team will continue to identify locations that need additional improvements and secure funding to implement the enhancements," said Albert. "We also encourage drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to be vigilant around traffic. Please put down your phone and obey the traffic signals, signs and pavement markings."

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.comor follow her on Twitter@curtis_chels.

Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-traffic/2019/12/17/most-dangerous-intersections-phoenix-area-over-past-3-years/3857239002/

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Which intersections are the most dangerous in Valley cities? Here's what we found - AZCentral