Narrative:

While this report is non-specific to any particular flight; I hope to draw attention to a point on this airport that is just waiting for a runway incursion. There are a couple of spots at dtw that need in ground lights; stop bar; and/or wig wags. To my mind; the worst spot is at the intersection of runway 21R and taxiway P4 on the east edge of runway 21R. An aircraft taxiing to runway 21R via taxiway W-P4-P stands an excellent chance of missing the taxiway P4 turn and entering runway 21R. There is nothing to give warning about the runway. What paint markings there might be are faint and at night with snow are useless. What makes this an even greater hazard point is that an aircraft can start a takeoff roll on runway 21R in reduced visibility and not see the intersection until too late. Another potential spot would be at runway 4R if the taxiing aircraft misses the taxiway K or Y turn and got close to the runway end.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR HIGHLIGHTS 2 DTW POTENTIAL RWY INCURSION POINTS: 1) RWY 3L/21R AT TXWY P4 ON W AFTER MISSING TXWY P. 2) RWY 4R/22L AT TXWY Y1 AFTER MISSING TXWY K OR Y ON TXWY T.

Narrative: WHILE THIS REPORT IS NON-SPECIFIC TO ANY PARTICULAR FLT; I HOPE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO A POINT ON THIS ARPT THAT IS JUST WAITING FOR A RWY INCURSION. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPOTS AT DTW THAT NEED IN GROUND LIGHTS; STOP BAR; AND/OR WIG WAGS. TO MY MIND; THE WORST SPOT IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF RWY 21R AND TXWY P4 ON THE E EDGE OF RWY 21R. AN ACFT TAXIING TO RWY 21R VIA TXWY W-P4-P STANDS AN EXCELLENT CHANCE OF MISSING THE TXWY P4 TURN AND ENTERING RWY 21R. THERE IS NOTHING TO GIVE WARNING ABOUT THE RWY. WHAT PAINT MARKINGS THERE MIGHT BE ARE FAINT AND AT NIGHT WITH SNOW ARE USELESS. WHAT MAKES THIS AN EVEN GREATER HAZARD POINT IS THAT AN ACFT CAN START A TKOF ROLL ON RWY 21R IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AND NOT SEE THE INTERSECTION UNTIL TOO LATE. ANOTHER POTENTIAL SPOT WOULD BE AT RWY 4R IF THE TAXIING ACFT MISSES THE TXWY K OR Y TURN AND GOT CLOSE TO THE RWY END.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.