FORT LAUDERDALE – With a high amount of traffic fatalities in South Florida, the Broward Metropolitan Arranging Organization bought a $5 million federal grant along with a different million from the county to come up with a program to improve visitors basic safety.
“We are going to be seeking at mid-block crossings, we’re searching at school zones, how to boost protection there. We are hunting at alternatives for bicycle and pedestrian sensors,” said James Cromar with the Broward Metropolitan Arranging Organization.
For one mom, the enhancements are coming too late.
“I definitely enjoyed his company. I overlook his talks,” Marcia Plummer told CBS4 about her late son Alex. “He was out that night. We didn’t listen to from him,” she recalls from January of 2022. “We acquired a phone he was hit by a car,” she reported.
Alex did not survive. He experienced been striving to cross Atlantic Blvd near Powerline when two automobiles strike him.
Planners will search at problematic locations, like Sunrise Blvd., the place people today cross in the center of the avenue, or the intersection of Oakland Park Blvd and Point out Highway 7, regarded as the most risky in the county.
“Our region is basically 1 of the most dangerous sites in the place for pedestrians and cyclists,” stated Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Democrat from District 23.
In accordance to point out figures, final year, Broward had much more than 35,000 traffic crashes, ensuing in 236 fatalities. That contains 613 on bikes, with 14 fatalities and 859 on foot, leaving 60 useless.
“One of the major matters is basically just rushing,” Plummer mentioned.
Plummer, who is aware of the pain of dropping someone, states security updates are necessary.
“Is there ample lights?” Plummer asks.”For the reason that with my son it occurred following 10 at night. You will find not adequate lighting in that space,” she mentioned. “I don’t know if the time is ample on individuals crosswalks, plenty of to get throughout the road. So that is something protection they have to have to appear at,” she explained.
She’s also urging folks to use their voices as the hunt for solutions gets underway. “If an improvement needs to be made connect with your county and talk to them and say, ‘I imagine an improvement needs to be manufactured with this circumstance.'”
Broward will have a calendar year to place collectively a system to lower visitors fatalities in the county. Soon after that, they’re hoping that eventually, half a billion pounds in federal grants will circulation below to set that plan into position.
