The Observation Deck

On a day that is seeing Lakewood police and fire called on many calls, a large percentage tending to people with COVID, think they have COVID, and pretty sure they might have been exposed to COVID, a one car traffic accident came in on Riverside and West Clifton.



While it appears the car went head on into concrete barrier, it actually seems more like the person was turning onto Riverside Drive south, didn't see a car because of the sun, or was distracted by something. Heard a horn or saw it, straightened the wheel and hit the barrier.


Why do I think that is what happened? If you look at the front wheels they are turned to the right.


As the wheels had not hit the barrier or a curve, that indicates to me, that is how they were at the time of impact.






A long drop had the car made it through the barrier. To my knowledge since it went up, no one has gone over. Not that many ever went over before that when it was a single layer of Armoco on wood posts, about 18" high. One person did die, when their car caught fire at the end of Madison Ave.


It had to be frightening, as the Kufner driver and police talk.

Driver was taken to the hospital to be checked out. The air bags were deployed indicating a hit at over 30mph.

The entire incident was taken care of in under an hour, thank you Lakewood Police and Fire and Lakewood owned Kufner for the great service!

While this was being cleaned up 4 more calls came in with suspected COVID and or breathing problems.

Be safe this holiday season, wear a mask, stay home if you can.

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That may be the worst intersection in Lakewood. Southbound on West Clifton at the stop sign, when you look right you cannot see oncoming traffic because of the acute angle and the parked cars. The city should hatch off the first couple parking places there on Riverside by the apt building, ASAP. Look left this time of year first thing in the morning and you are staring straight at the sun. I know this is not the first such crash there and I'm surprised there are not more. I traverse it most work days.

I live right there and Tim is stating a problem that we’ve had for a long time. That is a dangerous intersection.

With parking now allowed in front of the apartment building, you just cannot see if anyone is coming down Riverside. If I stay back to see further down Riverside, then I miss what is coming out of Graber. Many times I’ve started to pull out of W Clifton and suddenly a car was right there!

Several neighbors and I wonder if perhaps one of those big convex mirrors could be mounted on the concrete barricade so that we can see north on Riverside.

I only recall one fatal accident there, but I’ve witnessed many less awful collisions as well as numerous near misses.

I was at that location just shortly before noon today. Everything had been cleared up by then, as there was no indication of an accident occurring.

For the past years, I've taken to using Graber to get onto Riverside. I've known several people throughout the years, that have gotten clipped while turning onto Riverside from W. Clifton. Taking Graber eliminates the danger.

Thing is, one shouldn't have to devise new routes, just to avoid such a situation..... in a residential neighborhood.