PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A group in South St. Pete is pushing for pedestrian safety improvements along a dangerous street.
Residents who live along Martin Luther King Jr. Street South said change is necessary.
WATCH: Residents in South St. Pete push for road safety improvements
"They are always stopping here at the light right here, right in front of where the gas station or metro is in that area. It’s a really problem area, and like I said, every time I hear that, I think 'oh my gosh, I hope no one has gotten hit out here,'" said Cassandra Jenkins, who owns a restaurant along Martin Luther King Jr St. South in St. Pete.
Jenkins said every time she hears an ambulance go by, she thinks of the day she lost her cousin, Earnest, back in 2021.
"He was hit by a car just before the light at MLK and 22nd Avenue and that rocked us…and it really made me pay attention to what’s happening on this road," said Jenkins.
After years of hearing about car crashes along MLK South, she and many other residents are asking for help.
"There's not a lot of room, warning, crosswalks for pedestrians," said Jenkins.
"We’ve got a four-year-old. We'd love to be able to walk down MLK to the different businesses that are right here on the street, and I cannot see myself doing that because it is just too dangerous," said Meiko Seymour.
Back in 2018, the Northern part of MLK Street received pedestrian safety improvements. According to data from Forward Pinellas, MLK South had 32% more crashes in the last five years compared to MLK North.
"It's the same road, it's the same city, it's the same number of cars, it's just two completely different realities," said Justin Cournoyer with the Campbell Neighborhood Association.
Justin Cournoyer said he’s asking the city for protected bike lanes, medians, more crosswalks and better sidewalks.
"We know that we have to start saving lives, so we have to get serious about it, we have to fund it," said Cournoyer.
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