FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A Fresno County Civil Grand Jury report is calling for additional safety measures at the intersection of Friant Road and Shepherd Avenue, describing it as the most dangerous intersection in Fresno and urging city leaders to take further action.
The report follows a review of traffic conditions at the high-profile intersection, including two crashes that occurred within three days of each other earlier this year.
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The grand jury concluded that more needs to be done to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, however, disputed the report’s characterization of the intersection.
“It was the number one unsafe intersection in Fresno. Today, it’s not in the top 10. A lot of that has to do with some of the things that we’ve done as a city,” Dyer said.
The report noted that the city has already committed $2.5 million toward improvements at the intersection. Dyer said those efforts have already produced positive results.
“Many of the things that we’ve already done have had a positive impact, but that’s not to say we’re going to stop there. What we really want to do is stress to motorists to be careful,” he said.
Despite those improvements, the grand jury recommended additional measures, including increased police enforcement, changes to the intersection’s design and additional traffic signal signage.
The report also cited a study by the law firm Jacoby & Meyers, which found that the intersection experienced 21 crashes between 2020 and 2024.
It referenced videos from the YouTube channel “Friant Roulette,” which documents crashes at the intersection, as evidence that red-light running is a recurring problem.
Dyer said driver behavior remains a significant factor.
“We have children now that are out there on e-bikes and scooters, and so it really is a time for our folks, our motorists in Fresno, to be extra cautious and extra careful,” he said.
Under state procedures, the city has 90 days to formally respond to the grand jury’s findings and recommendations.
“We’ll respond in terms of making sure they have all the accurate information, and we’ll also respond in a way that says here are some of the things we have planned for the future as well,” Dyer said.
In a statement, Fresno City Manager Georgeanne A. White said city officials are reviewing the report and will respond within the required timeframe.
“We appreciate the community volunteers participating on the Civil Grand Jury, and the time they took to study complex traffic engineering concerns. Pedestrian and traffic safety remains a priority for the City of Fresno.
We look forward to working with the City Council to evaluate and respond to each finding and recommendation within the required 90-day timeline.”
The city is expected to provide its formal response to the grand jury’s recommendations in the coming months.
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