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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Colorado Springs has released a list of the top 25 most dangerous intersections in 2008.

City officials compile the list every year. Since 2006, the crash ratings have been improving.

This year the intersection of Briargate Pkwy. and Powers Blvd. topped the list.

This is at least the second time this intersection has been at the top of the list. The good news is its crash rating is about half as bad as it was for 2007.

City engineers believe a big problem with this intersection is the lack of visibility caused by an uncompleted interchange.

Reduced visibility coupled with higher traveling speeds are equaling a problem.

"Because of the speeds you can't react quick enough to stop," said principle traffic engineer David Krauth.

"It allows less room for error," says Sgt. Steven Noblitt of the Colorado Springs Police Department.

So when there is an accident, the damage is often more significant. That's why this intersection is rated the most dangerous, not because it had the most accidents.

City engineers use a weighted average to decided which intersections are the worst.

"We weigh property damage as a weight of one, injuries as a weight of five, and fatalities as a weight of two," Krauth said.

Based on sheer numbers, the intersection of Barnes and Powers Blvd. had almost twice as many accidents as the one at Briargate Pkwy. and Powers Blvd, but it only made it to number seven on the list.

The only intersection on the list with a fatality was at Powers Blvd. and S. Carefree. It is number 21.

"It kind of gives us an idea to know where to start doing traffic enforcement," Noblitt said.

From there, city engineers will look for trends in the accidents at these problematic intersections.

"If it's random there may be nothing we can do to correct that, but if there's a pattern there may be through engineering solutions," Krauth said.

In the case of Briargate and Powers, one engineering solution is warning drivers on Powers about the upcoming intersection with signs.

Top 25 Dangerous Intersections in Colorado Springs:

1. Briargate Pkwy. and N. Powers Blvd. with a rating of 3.67

2. Palmer Park Blvd. and Space Center Dr. with a rating of 2.37

3. Rangewood Dr. and Vickers Dr. with a rating of 2.27

4. S. Nevada Ave. and Southgate Rd. with a rating of 2.17

5. Lake Ave and Venetucci Blvd with a rating of 2.02

6. N. Powers Blvd. and Research Pkwy. with a rating of 1.96

7. Barnes Rd. and N. Powers Blvd. with a rating of 1.89

8. Carefree Cir. and Tutt Blvd. with a rating of 1.89

9. E. fountain Blvd. and S. Union Blvd. with a rating of 1.86

10. Airport Rd. and S. Academy Blvd with a rating of 1.85

11. N Powers Blvd. and N. Union Blvd. with a rating of 1.78

12. Dublin Blvd and N. Union Blvd with a rating of 1.77

13. Austin Bluffs Pkwy. and Stetson Hills Blvd. with a rating of 1.74

14. Milton E. Proby Pkwy. and S. Powers Blvd.. with a rating of 1.61

15. E. Bijou St. and N. Chelton Rd. with a rating of 1.60

16. Airport Rd. and S. Circle Dr. with a rating of 1.58

17. E St. Elmo Ave. and S. Nevada Ave with a rating of 1.58

18. E. Colorado Ave. and E. Pikes Peak Ave with a rating of 1.55

19. E Bijou St. and N. Cascade Ave. with a rating of 1.53

20. N. Carefree Cir. and Oro Blanco Dr. with a rating of 1.52

21. N. Powers Blvd. and S. Carefree Cir.. with a rating of 1.50

22. E Platte Ave. and N. Meade Ave. with a rating of 1.49

23. Barnes Rd. and Tutt Blvd with a rating of 1.46

24. New center Pt. and S. Carefree Cir. with a rating of 1.42

25. E. Platte Ave. and N. Academy Blvd. with a rating of 1.40

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