It’s something reported too often: pedestrians hit and killed by cars on Central Florida roads.Why does it seem to be happening so much and what’s being done to fix it? “She was the most crazy and fun and supportive, just all-around good person,” Jessi Huff said. She is talking about her mom, Sharon Belin.“I want her to be known as this beautiful woman as she was, not just another person because she wasn’t just another person,” Huff said.On Feb. 18, Belin was crossing Hiawassee Road when she was hit by a car and killed. The driver fled the scene and still has not been found. Tragedies like this are becoming more common across Florida. New data shows the number of pedestrians killed in the first six months of 2021 jumped 17% from the previous year. Thirty-seven percent of those deaths were reported in Florida, California and Texas. “Driving down Hiawassee Road, there were so many memorials, and it’s just heartbreaking. Because it’s just every quarter mile, there’s another one and another one, and you don’t really know what happened. But it’s there. And so obviously, something needs to be done,” Huff said. So, what is being done?Lauren Torres from Orange County Public Works explains several projects the county has already started to protect pedestrians and cyclists.The county is focused on modernizing crosswalks – ones with flashing beacons and raised crosswalks.“It brings the student pedestrian up, some of our most vulnerable users, it brings them up to driver’s level. It also acts as natural traffic calming, because if you’re going over one, you have to slow down,” Torres said.Mayor Jerry Demings’ penny sales tax initiative lists “pedestrian and bicycle safety” as a top challenge. “The roadways that are out there today were built 20 to 30 years ago, and there was little, or no sense of accommodating pedestrians,” said Renzo Nastasi with Orange County.Nastasi says a main theme in the sales tax initiative is “multi-modal,” meaning the transportation needs to address all users.In the initiative, there is a focus on pedestrian scale lighting which means making sure walkers and bikers are lit just as well as vehicles at night.There are also discussions about implementing mid-block pedestrian crossings, so there are more opportunities to cross the road.Embracing new technology is also a priority.“There are systems that can recognize a pedestrian stepping into the roadway without that person necessarily pushing a button. So, it’s automatic,” Nastasi said.Other topics discussed were connected systems, so sidewalks don’t abruptly end in places, and keeping the infrastructure well maintained.Local cyclists face their own set of challenges.Kyle Markel used to ride his bike to work every single day but doesn’t anymore because of his safety.“I’ll be riding down the road, and I’ll just have a car come whizzing by me and I can feel their rearview mirror close to my shoulder. And it’s scary, you know, so I’m constantly turning around like, is anyone coming?” Markel said. Markel thinks more emphasis on bicycle safety should start at the DMV.“If new drivers are learning about the rights of other pedestrians, and cyclists, of course, I think that would help a lot,” he said. Huff thinks any precautions are important.“There are so many things that I was looking forward to, and memories that I wanted to spend with my mom, all that time has just been stolen from me,” she said.There is now a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides a tip that leads to the arrest and conviction of Belin’s killer through Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information on the case can call 1-888-277 TIPS.
It’s something reported too often: pedestrians hit and killed by cars on Central Florida roads.
Why does it seem to be happening so much and what’s being done to fix it?
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“She was the most crazy and fun and supportive, just all-around good person,” Jessi Huff said.
She is talking about her mom, Sharon Belin.
“I want her to be known as this beautiful woman as she was, not just another person because she wasn’t just another person,” Huff said.
On Feb. 18, Belin was crossing Hiawassee Road when she was hit by a car and killed. The driver fled the scene and still has not been found.
Tragedies like this are becoming more common across Florida. New data shows the number of pedestrians killed in the first six months of 2021 jumped 17% from the previous year. Thirty-seven percent of those deaths were reported in Florida, California and Texas.
“Driving down Hiawassee Road, there were so many memorials, and it’s just heartbreaking. Because it’s just every quarter mile, there’s another one and another one, and you don’t really know what happened. But it’s there. And so obviously, something needs to be done,” Huff said.
So, what is being done?
Lauren Torres from Orange County Public Works explains several projects the county has already started to protect pedestrians and cyclists.
The county is focused on modernizing crosswalks – ones with flashing beacons and raised crosswalks.
“It brings the student pedestrian up, some of our most vulnerable users, it brings them up to driver’s level. It also acts as natural traffic calming, because if you’re going over one, you have to slow down,” Torres said.
Mayor Jerry Demings’ penny sales tax initiative lists “pedestrian and bicycle safety” as a top challenge.
“The roadways that are out there today were built 20 to 30 years ago, and there was little, or no sense of accommodating pedestrians,” said Renzo Nastasi with Orange County.
Nastasi says a main theme in the sales tax initiative is “multi-modal,” meaning the transportation needs to address all users.
In the initiative, there is a focus on pedestrian scale lighting which means making sure walkers and bikers are lit just as well as vehicles at night.
There are also discussions about implementing mid-block pedestrian crossings, so there are more opportunities to cross the road.
Embracing new technology is also a priority.
“There are systems that can recognize a pedestrian stepping into the roadway without that person necessarily pushing a button. So, it’s automatic,” Nastasi said.
Other topics discussed were connected systems, so sidewalks don’t abruptly end in places, and keeping the infrastructure well maintained.
Local cyclists face their own set of challenges.
Kyle Markel used to ride his bike to work every single day but doesn’t anymore because of his safety.
“I’ll be riding down the road, and I’ll just have a car come whizzing by me and I can feel their rearview mirror close to my shoulder. And it’s scary, you know, so I’m constantly turning around like, is anyone coming?” Markel said.
Markel thinks more emphasis on bicycle safety should start at the DMV.
“If new drivers are learning about the rights of other pedestrians, and cyclists, of course, I think that would help a lot,” he said.
Huff thinks any precautions are important.
“There are so many things that I was looking forward to, and memories that I wanted to spend with my mom, all that time has just been stolen from me,” she said.
There is now a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides a tip that leads to the arrest and conviction of Belin’s killer through Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information on the case can call 1-888-277 TIPS.