MACON, Ga. — What's being done to improve Macon's most dangerous roads?
The Macon-Bibb Pedestrian Safety Review board is set to answer that question at a summit Tuesday the 21st.
Ahead of that, 13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha highlighted some of the biggest problems drivers and pedestrians see on the roads.
"Folks on Gray Highway and Pio Nono Avenue say that hundreds of people cross four or five lanes of traffic every week. However, some folks say that people don't always have a choice.
"They just cross anywhere now,” says Rochelle Bonner.
She says Gray Highway is one of Macon's busiest roads.
"We have a senior citizen place here and there's a nursing home right up the street. Then there's these businesses,” she explains.
Bonner says you'd have to walk a long way on the highway before you reach a crosswalk and light. So, folks cross the road to save time.
"There's nowhere to stop and I think it's very, very, very dangerous,” she says.
Jose Torres works at Fast Tires on Pio Nono avenue. He says speeding puts people's lives in danger.
"Probably about 80 miles per hour,” he says. “It’s very dangerous and nobody's being careful while they’re driving.”
Torres says a few months ago he saw someone crossing the street get hit by a car.
"It was very traumatizing. I mean it worries me, you know, watching people pass away everyday.”
County Commissioner Elaine Lucas is on the Pedestrian Review Board. She says Macon's pedestrian deaths are too high.
"It's a serious problem,” she says. "As long as cars can go faster, and faster, and faster. As long as you have people who walk where it's convenient, not where it's safe. We are going to have this problem."
Lucas says the safety board will report what improvements they've made and what they plan to do at the summit.
"We have lowered the speed on a number of streets, which I think, have brought about greater safety. We have also placed additional lighting. Street lights in many, many neighborhoods. We approved– on the Commission– about 10 streets just this past week that we will be adding additional lighting to.We also are approving additional sidewalks over school zones– especially in school zones,” Lucas explains.
She says they've also helped neighborhoods with installing flashing lights and islands for folks to stand on. Lucas says there's more work to be done, but it's going to take time.
“Even though it might not be obvious to them to make the community safer. There are lots of things happening to make this community safer.”
Lucas says they'll also be explaining the relationship and work they've been developing with the Georgia Department of Transportation, and what improvements will be coming to major roads like Gray Highway.
The summit will be at City Hall from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.