ALPENA — A two-vehicle crash at the corner of North 2nd Avenue and Miller Street in Alpena around noon on Saturday sent one person to the hospital. A taxi, attempting to cross 2nd Avenue heading northwest on Miller, was struck by a white pickup truck headed toward downtown on 2nd, sending both spinning and crushing the front end of the truck, according to police. The truck’s driver was transported to MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena with minor injuries. The truck struck the passenger-side door of the taxi, but the passenger was checked at the scene and refused further medical treatment.

Neighbor Clarence Kraft, whose house faces Miller, said traffic on that street has increased noticeably since construction on Alpena’s Bagley Street bridge rerouted city traffic, with some drivers choosing to travel on Miller to avoid increased congestion on Chisholm Street. Both he and Joshua Gougeon, whose apartment faces the 2nd and Miller intersection, said a recent decision by the city to install stop signs on Miller in place of the current blinking light won’t slow motorists who frequently speed on 2nd Avenue.

“It’s not going to fix nothing,” Gougeon said. “It’s going to be worse.”