MARIETTA, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
More than a year after a deadly hit and run crash killed a 4-year-old boy who was walking across Austell Road, the Georgia Department of Transportation has made no safety improvements to the state-owned road.
Netaysia Curry, a resident of Somerpoint Apartment off Austell Road said she would like to see a crosswalk to help her and her neighbors get to the bus stop across the street.
"It's very hard [to cross]" said Curry. "It's very busy."
The nearest crosswalk is a third of a mile away. Chris Wilson, who takes the bus to work, said it is "very unrealistic" to expect her to walk more than a half mile to a crosswalk and back to the bus stop.
It took reporter Jeff Chirico 11 minutes and 46 seconds to walk the distance. "Imagine how much longer it would take if I were elderly or carrying children," said Chirico after completing the walk.
This week, Raquel Nelson was sentenced for the death of her son that occurred as she and her children attempted to cross Austell Road to get to Somerpoint Apartments. She was convicted on several charges including vehicular homicide for failing to cross the street at the designated crosswalk.
Sally Flocks, president of PEDS, a pedestrian advocacy group, said transportation officials should consider placing a lighted crosswalk at the location that would stop motorists. She pointed to an example of that crosswalk called a pedestrian hawk signal on Buford Highway in Doraville.
Robert Quigley, spokesman for Cobb County, said the county is unable to install a crosswalk there because it is a state-owned road. Quigley said the county is considering moving the bus stop closer to a designated crosswalk.
Nelson could have received three years in jail but was sentenced to a year probation and community service and was offered a new trial.
The driver, Jerry Guy was sentenced to six months in prison for what was his third hit and run conviction. He admitted to drinking alcohol earlier that day.
Copyright 2011 WGCL-TV. All rights reserved.
All content ©Copyright 2000 - 2012,WGCL-TV, CBS Atlanta. (A Meredith Corporation Station) and WorldNow. All rights reserved.
