Saturday marks 10 years since a woman and her three children were hit by a pickup while crossing Main Street at 54th in Springfield. The children were killed and their mother was critically injured.
On Feb. 22, 2015, Cortney Hudson-Crawford and her three kids—John, 8; McKenzie, 5; and Tyler, 4—were in the crosswalk with a green light. Police say a driver, 68-year-old Larry LaThorpe, ran the red light, hitting them. Authorities said he had not been drinking or speeding. LaThorpe told police that he thought the light was green. He was not criminally charged.
In the decade since, some upgrades have been made to the intersection where the triple-fatality occurred. But those upgrades may not be enough to prevent a future tragedy, says Rob Zako, executive director of Better Eugene Springfield Transportation.
While the speed limit on Main Street in the area has been lowered from 40 to 35 mph, Zako said that isn't enough to slow drivers down.
“There are ways to have less speed,” he said. “That’s not hard. We have the technical ability to do that. The question really to the community is, what is more important to you? Speed or safety? You can’t have both. You have to choose.”
Zako said the cheapest way to make it safer would be to reduce the number of lanes on Main Street. Currently, there are four travel lanes plus a center turn lane. Zako suggests two travel lanes with a center left lane and bus or bike lanes on the sides, similar to how Eugene’s South Willamette was transformed.
Zako also points to Broadway in downtown Eugene. Especially between Willamette and Olive streets, he said, no matter the posted speed limit, people slow down through there.
“It’s narrow. Because there are things on the side. Because there is a median. Because there are trees,” Zako said. “All those are signals to drivers of saying, you should go slower because it’s for your own good. You don’t want to damage your own vehicle or yourself.”
Zako said Springfield did propose roundabouts on that part of Main Street, which is also known as Oregon Highway 126B. But businesses objected, and the City Council voted against the plan.
Some changes have been made
Aside from the speed limit reduction, other changes have been made at the intersection in the years since the 2015 crash. Springfield Police have enhanced enforcement efforts in that corridor, according to assistant City Manager Niel Laudati. He said the city worked with ODOT on other safety improvements.
"The city remains committed to improving safety on Main Street through funding of smaller targeted improvements through ODOT’s All Roads Transportation Safety (ARTS) program, staying updated on evolving crash data, and exploring additional safety measures. Traffic safety education and enforcement remain priorities," said Laudati, and he thinks of that tragic day often and the deep impact it had on the community.
ODOT shared this information with KLCC:
In December, 2024, Main St & 54th St project was completed at a cost of $1,989,141.
- Project installed new curb ramps, left turn lanes on the side streets, flashing yellow arrow on side streets, new intersection illumination, new signs and new pavement arrows at the intersection.
- We also implemented a signal timing feature where if the pedestrian push button is activated, the flashing yellow arrow will NOT come up (only a protected green arrow for the left turns) for any of the left turn lanes.
- In 2019, Safety Quick Fix funding was used to implement split phasing signal timing on side street approaches as interim solution until construction project was completed (maintenance forces used to complete this interim solution)
- In July 2016, the speed limit changed to 35 mph (from 40) through this intersection
- In 2015, reflectorized backplates were installed on the signal heads
- In 2014, countdown pedestrian signal heads were installed
