Crash Overview

Location Description 

University Drive and Julia Street are located in Huntsville, Alabama amidst multiple neighborhoods and commercial properties. This intersection is nearby the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is often frequented by students that live in the area. The crash location is nearby multiple business and commercial developments, including the Clearview Cancer Institute (CCI) Medical Complex, a Walmart, a Costco, multiple hotels, and numerous fast food restaurants. The street grid in this area is surrounded by three major roadways, Highway 565, state road 53, and state route 431. 

Crash Summary

• The crash at this location occurred at 4:41 p.m. on June 7, 2021. 
• A motorist struck 37-year-old Joshua Gurley as he was cycling southbound across University Drive, headed onto Julia Street. Joshua Gurley was pronounced deceased at the scene fo the crash.
• The crash report diagram indicates Gurley may have been traveling out of the Economy Inn parking lot toward the crossing on the east side of the intersection.
• The motorist was in a westbound through traffic lane; the crash report did not confirm which through lane they were in. 
• The crash report states that Gurley failed to obey traffic signs or signals at the time of the collision.
• There was no evidence to support filing charges when the crash happened.  

Why was this crash nominated? 

• The crash location features multiple lanes at a busy intersection that may be challenging to cross regardless of circumstances. 
• University Drive has received generous amounts of attention from the media as an area that is dangerous for motorist and non-motorists; our nominator indicates talks about redesign and redevelopment have been ongoing. 
• Strong Towns believes this crash exemplifies how important safe design and infrastructure are within environments nearby universities and education institutions, as these areas are often frequented by cyclists and pedestrians.

What additional information is available? 

• A redacted police report from the city of Huntsville.
• Diagrams to assist you with visualizing and understanding the measurements of the crash location.
• A folder containing the speed study and processed speed data.

• Huntsville Police Report.pdf500 KB
• University & Julia Street Measurements.png2 MB
• University Drive Measurements.png300 KB