The beacon was added following the death of Imam Islam Mossaad, who was struck by a vehicle last July while walking along North Lamar Boulevard.
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin city leaders broke ground on a new pedestrian beacon on North Lamar Boulevard on Wednesday.
On Feb. 11, leaders with the city were on hand to break ground on the beacon located near the North Austin Muslim Community Center, where Imam Islam Mossaad was hit and killed by a vehicle in July 2025.
Mossaad, who served as the spiritual leader at the North Austin Muslim Community Center, died on July 27 after he was struck about 1 mile from the center. According to court documents, the collision occurred when one car crashed into another, causing it to spin out and hit Mossaad on North Lamar Boulevard near West Parmer Lane.
A driver of one of the vehicles, a 16-year-old boy, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The driver of a second vehicle, 33-year-old Markell Turner, faces charges of driving while intoxicated, while his passenger, 34-year-old Jarina Robinson, faces charges of possession of controlled substances/narcotics.
Those in the Muslim community say the beacon honors Mossaad’s memory.
“He was a person willing to serve anyone,” Shaimaa Zayan, operations manager for the Council on Islamic Relations (CAIR), said on Wednesday. “He was a person that people felt safe around. This will be a reminder for all of us of the great work that he did in his life.”
The beacon will give pedestrians a safer crossing on one of the city’s busiest corridors and is part of the city’s Vision Zero campaign aimed at eliminating traffic deaths.
Officials say the technology can reduce pedestrian crashes by more than 69%.