Pedestrian deaths piling up, triggers search for solutions

After pedestrian deaths dipped slightly in 2014 compared to the previous year, a deadly January weekend that saw three pedestrians killed in a 30-hour period reignited concerns about the safety of thousands of people walking Clark County streets every day.

So far in 2015, six pedestrians have been killed. Five were killed on six-lane or wider roads with 45 mph posted speed limits. Three were crossing outside a marked crosswalk. One was crossing Interstate 15 near Tropicana Avenue.

“It’s no secret that Clark County’s road design does nothing to help those on foot,” said Erin Breen, coordinator for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Traffic Safety Coalition. “Wide, flat, long streets with room and sight distances that make speeding comfortable, and… few streets offer convenient places to cross.”

The issues were discussed Friday at a public forum at the Cambridge Community Center, 3930 Cambridge St. It included Metro, Henderson police, Clark County School District police, Nevada Highway Patrol, city of Las Vegas engineers, traffic safety advocates and even valley pedestrians.

The group discussed numerous issues and possible solutions during the two-hour forum, most notably trying to get more crosswalks throughout the valley and better education for drivers. It also stressed having better physical separation between pedestrians and motor vehicles and wider sidewalks and more bicycle lanes.

“It’s about trying to find solutions to a lot of the problems that we see on the streets, whether it’s drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcycles,” Nevada state Sen. Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, said after the discussion.

Manendo, a longtime advocate for safer streets in Nevada, was encouraged by the ideas raised at the forum. “I think what we heard is that public safety is a priority to people because their lives depends on that.”

Pedestrian fatalities have always been a concern in Clark County.

Las Vegas in particular consistently ranks among the worst in pedestrian fatality rates. Numerous studies, including a 2011 Consumer Report and a 2014 study by the National Complete Streets Coalition, ranked Las Vegas as one of the 15 most dangerous cities for pedestrians.

Getting pedestrians to understand that they aren’t invincible while crossing a street is a big challenge for both advocates and law enforcement.

“The biggest challenge is getting the word out to pedestrians that they need to look out for cars as much as the cars need to look out for them,” Metro South Central Area Command Sgt. Redell Moore said. “You need to cross the street in a crosswalk. It’s not a protective force field, but most will stop if you’re in a crosswalk and let you proceed safely. You still need to be aware and don’t expect people to stop.”

In 2013, pedestrian deaths accounted for about 14.5 percent of all traffic fatalities nationally. In Clark County, that percentage is doubled, accounting for nearly 30 percent of traffic fatalities.

Sherri Bush’s son was one of those 2013 fatalities.

Her son, James Spagnoli, 26, was killed on Feb. 16, 2013 when he was hit by a vehicle while crossing Flamingo Road between El Capitan Way and Durango Drive.

“You don’t think it could happen to you. I never thought it would happen to him. But it does,” Bush said.

Nearly two years after her son’s death, Bush is now an advocate for pedestrian safety, going to schools across the valley in hopes of reaching the children and raising their awareness, making sure they understand that “pedestrians are somebody’s child, friend, brother.”

Like many at the forum, Bush is hoping to see more crosswalks installed throughout the valley, but knows the cost means it may take longer than many anticipate.

“There’s just so much that needs to be done.”

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter: @ColtonLochhead.