Crash Overview

Location Description 

East Park Avenue and McKee Street are located in State College, Pennsylvania alongside the outer perimeter of The Pennsylvania State University, or Penn State. On the east side of this intersection, there are multiple university residence halls; several neighborhood streets line the area to the west of this intersection. North of the collision location, East Park Avenue facilitates access to both U.S. Route 322 and Interstate 99. This intersection is also nearby a stadium, intramural fields, a park, and multiple hotels. 

Crash Summary

• The crash at this location occurred at 7:57 p.m. on September 12, 2023. 
• 20-year-old Ahmed Alqubaisi was driving westbound when he lost control of his vehicle and crossed into the eastbound traffic lane. His car traveled up onto the sidewalk and he struck Lovisa Arnesson-Cronhamre. According to media coverage, Ahmed was traveling at an unsafe speed.
• Lovisa was transported Mount Nittany Medical Center and then University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UMPC)-Altoona; she died from her injuries around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13th. 
• The speed limit on East Park Avenue at this location is 35 miles per hour (mph). 

Why was this crash nominated? 

• East Park Avenue widens just to the south and to the north of this intersection; roadway width variability is a factor of interest, and may make navigation in this particular location less predictable for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. 
• Strong Towns believes this crash, collisions in the nearby area, and well-documented issues with speeding along East Park Avenue all speak to the importance of design as a component of traffic safety. 

What additional information is available? 

• A diagram to assist you with visualizing and understanding the measurements of the crash location.
• A folder containing the speed study and processed speed data.

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