Crosswalk sought for intersection where girl died

Heather Rawlyk

Monday, Oct. 27, 2003 | 11 a.m.

Safe Community Partnership, a branch of the Transportation Research Center at UNLV, is orchestrating an effort to construct a crosswalk along West Shinnecock Hills Street where a car struck two girls, one of whom died last week.

There are no crosswalks or traffic control devices on the four-lane road where Adriana "Addy" Lauzon and Tabatha Speas, both 13, were hit by a vehicle while crossing the street on Oct. 16. Lauzon died from her injuries at University Medical Center on Tuesday. Speas remains in critical condition.

Since the accident, concerned parents and friends have collected signatures on a petition to Clark County for a crosswalk in the area.

Parents created a makeshift crosswalk with tape last Tuesday, but Metro Police had them remove it. Handmade signs remain at the scene of the accident with the phrases "Slow Down!" and "Pay Attention, Turn Off Your Cell Phone!" written in red paint.

Along with signs, the area is covered with posters, flowers, stuffed animals and melted candle wax left over from gatherings and vigils. The sidewalk is cluttered with notes for Addy and Tabatha written in marker from classmates and friends.

The only thing missing now is a crosswalk for the children, said Erin Breen, director of Safe Community Partnership.

Breen said that Las Vegas has a huge pedestrian safety problem.

"It's really a problem around here," Breen said. "Some of them are indicative with what happened with the two girls."

Most of these problems speak to being a part of the "Great Southwest," where the car is king, Breen said.

"Roads around here are engineered for cars, not people," she said. "The roads are very wide, very long and very flat. What happens is it makes motorists very comfortable speeding."

Breen said that speed is a problem in Clark County on many levels. Approximately 85 percent of pedestrians hit at 45 mph die while 85 percent of pedestrians hit at 25 mph will live, Breen said.

Although most residential areas have 25 mph speed limits, Shinnecock Hills has a speed limit posted of 35 mph.

"It is ridiculous to have a 35 mph speed limit in a residential area like that one. They have no business having that speed limit through there," she said. "If the speed limit is 35 then people think it's OK to go 40. That's criminal to me when you know it's an area where kids are."

Lauzon was the 37th pedestrian killed in Clark County this year, according to the Fatal Analysis Reporting System. Breen said that while Lauzon's story may not be unique, it is gut-wrenching because she was a young and adorable girl.

"The fact that she was so young makes it more sensational," she said. "While it's tragic, this is a good opportunity to remind people about pedestrian laws."

Breen said that this incident is also a good opportunity for parents to have their voices heard for safety concerns they may have.

"Back on Oct. 8 we had a safety event in the same area as the accident and even back at that time parents were saying they don't have enough crosswalks or crossing guards," she said. "This is a tragic lesson for parents to realize they need to let their voices be heard. Make noise for your elected official and they will follow through for you."

Breen said that the parents are going through the correct procedures to getting a crosswalk built. Residents have contacted Clark County Commissioner Mark James, who has instructed county traffic management to conduct a study to find out of a crosswalk is feasible. After that, a legal opinion will need to be added, she said.

Breen is hopeful that a crosswalk will be built along the street and hopes that parents and neighbors will stay angry enough to see the process through. Safe Community Partnership will also keep fighting, she said.

"We will definitely stay on top of this," she said. "If there is a question as to whether it is going to be effective or not, we will do national research and supply James with that information."

Although many are asking for a crosswalk, it is not guaranteed to be constructed. Public Works Department Spokesman Bobby Shelton said that crosswalks are not warranted in certain situations.

"If it's an area that needs a crosswalk or stop sign, then they will probably be constructed," Shelton said. "But you can't just put up stop signs and crosswalks everywhere. If you put up too many, then people will start to ignore them."

Shelton said certain criteria would warrant putting up a new crosswalk or stop sign in an area.

"The number of accidents, types of accidents and whether the device is appropriate for that area are all taken into consideration," he said. "Sometimes added devices and signs cause problems. For example, there are some situations where four-way stop signs actually cause more accidents than they prevent."

Residents of the neighborhood in which the girls were struck believe that a crosswalk is warranted there.

Sandra Kryzwicki, who was house-sitting for her sister in the area, said that she fears for her niece's safety.

"My niece lives down the street and rides her bike and her scooter on the sidewalk every day after school and I am very worried about her," she said. "They need crosswalks mainly because the street is so wide; four lanes and a turning lane is a lot to cross on foot."

"We might not need a crosswalk necessarily at that exact location, but one for the road," she said. "This road needs a few of them somewhere; the issue definitely needs to be addressed. This is just tragic."

Many area parents are worried that their child may be next, Kryzwicki said.

"My sister is worried and I know a lot of parents in this area are worried too," she said. "I know a lot of parents are thinking it could have been their kid and so I think there will be a strong fight to get a crosswalk or something in to help."

Kryzwicki hopes the tragedy will not be forgotten with time.

"Hopefully this will make kids more careful when crossing the road," she said. "It takes something like this to wake people up. I'm hoping drivers will slow down through this area now too."