PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A local group is pushing for more safety improvements along a dangerous road in St. Pete.
Residents said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South needs some changes to increase safety.
William Hitchcock said it’s been a heavy month after his friend was hit by a car and killed a few weeks ago while trying to use a crosswalk.
“I always showed her love, gave her clothes, money whatever she needs, and she was a close friend to me…Yeah, I miss her too,” said Hitchcock.
To keep her memory alive…he is hanging up her picture in his barber shop.
“We’ve been losing a lot of lives, and we don’t want to lose a lot more lives, and then wait to try to change something,” he said.
She’s one of five people who have died in car accidents along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South over the last five years.
“This road is really dangerous, and I’ve been here since 2016, and I know of a lot of people who have lost their lives,” said Hitchcock.
“One death in unacceptable but five in a five year period is a crisis, its horrendous and something has to be done,” said Justin Cournoyer, Vice President of the Campbell Park Neighborhood Association.
Justin Cournoyer said change is needed.
“Everyone that I talk to says it feels unsafe, and their feelings are correct. It is very unsafe,” said Cournoyer.
Volunteers with the group are asking the City of St. Pete to allocate money in the budget for next year, to add more crosswalks, street lights, reflectors, speed bumps, and other safety improvements to the road.
“This is unacceptable. We need money,” said Cournoyer.
People who live on MLK South said the road is so dangerous, they try to avoid the area altogether.
“People will use the alleyways that are parallel to MLK, they will cross where they can with the limited crosswalks that we have, and go into a neighborhood rather than walking or biking down MLK,” said Cournoyer.
People with the MLK South Safe Streets Coalition plan to voice their concerns to city council on Thursday.
In the meantime, Hitchcock has a message for drivers.
“Slow down, listen to the signs, look ahead, stay off your phone, pay attention down the road.”
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