Westside Neighborhood Association Requests Pedestrian Safety Measures for Crosstown and Coming Street Intersection

Open letter from Audrey lisbon, President of Westside Neighborhood Association to SCDOT Chief of Staff Justin Powell and Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall, City of Charleston Traffic and Transportation Director Robert Somerville, SC Governor Henry McMaster, and City of Charleston Mayor, John Tecklenburg.

As President and representative of the Westside Neighborhood Association, the residents would like your cooperation to work with the City of Charleston Department of Traffic and Transportation to implement Pedestrian Safety measures at the intersection of the Crosstown and Coming Street.

Ms. Lynnette Ranz lost her daughter, Lindsey Ranz, in 2014 at this dangerous and deadly intersection while she was out for an afternoon jog when she was struck by a speeding motorist trying to beat the red traffic light. I remembered this tragic accident when it happened long ago.

Since Lindsey Ranz's demise, four (4) pedestrians have died at that very same intersection; Mr. Benjamin Frick, 31, Mr. Dwayne Stanley, 57, Ms. Hannah-Rose Elledge, 21, and most recent death occurred on June 28 when a Folly Beach Police officer struck Ms. Belinda Prim.

I met Ms. Lynnette Ranz through the Honorable Wendell Gilliard, House of Representative for District 111.

Hon. Gilliard has been advocating for pedestrian safety measures for Ms. Ranz when she presented her plight in the Statehouse after her daughter's death. He has aggressively pushed for pedestrian safety, including posting her story on social media. They have followed protocol. They went before City Council to present their case for traffic studies and audits to be performed. They were told that an investigation would be done after the drainage project in process was completed. That project was completed some time ago. However, Ms. Ranz and Hon. Gilliard have not been contacted regarding their request. Nine years later, Ms. Ranz and Hon. Gilliard are still fighting for change. If this study or audit were performed, Ms. Prim would be alive today. I took the liberty to attach several appeal letters from Honorable Wendell Gilliard to Senators, Speaker Honorable Jay Lucas and several articles written in the Post and Courier News Paper.

When I read Ms. Ranz's story, I called Hon. Gilliard to offer my services as President of the Westside Neighborhood Association. He provided her contact information. During my pleasant conversation with Ms. Ranz, I offered my condolences and apologies because she informed me there had been no resolution since her plight to raise awareness about Pedestrian Safety was presented. As a longtime resident and frequent driver on the crosstown, many speeding motorists have passed me to run yellow and red lights as I approach the caution light. When the light has turned red, many motorists are speeding past me and other cars as they run the red light.

Honorable Wendell Gilliard invited Ms. Ranz to attend the Charleston County Legislative Delegation Meeting scheduled on July 24 to address the council to raise awareness about the continuance of lost lives and tragedies that are still occurring at this dangerous intersection. Her presentation was very detailed, including pictures of the other victims. Inoperable signal lights that are supposed to display "Pedestrian Crossing" for motorists to see as they approach the traffic light, how dark the area is when the streetlight is out, and the number of speeding motorists running red lights at different hours of the day.

Coming street is also problematic. There have been multiple speeders occurring on this road as well. There was an incident that a truck ran into a house on the corner of Carolina Street and Coming while the resident was on vacation in Honduras!

Charleston, SC, has incurred massive overdevelopment. Geographically the pedestrian volume has increased tremendously. More people create more motorists. Hon. Gilliard states, "One of the main problems with the Crosstown is tons of traffic it funnels into." He is absolutely correct. Everyone is in a rush. People should pay more attention to the road. They are texting, on the phone, or speeding because they know they can. No traffic cops are monitoring the roads. There used to be one at that intersection to catch speeders entering the crosstown or approaching the crosstown. The studies that have been performed have yet to resolve the problem that still exists at that intersection.

The existing pedestrian bridge built in the 70s accommodated elementary and high school students to and from their homes to school.

Today, due to the increased population, it is not where most people live and need to cross. The existing bridge is unsafe, without adequate lighting for evening pedestrians, fearing criminal activities and being full of trash.

The Crosstown and Coming Street are considered State Roads, which is your department.

Westside is appealing to the SCDOT to place a Crosswalk at this intersection for Pedestrian Safety. We stand in solidarity with Ms. Lynnette Ranz, Honorable Wendell Gilliard, and the family members of the pedestrians that have lost their lives at this intersection.

As Ms. Ranz continues to grieve for her daughter, she continues to advocate for Pedestrian Safety in memory of Lindsey, Mr. Benjamin Fricke, Mr. Dwayne Stanley, Ms. Hannah-Rose Elledge, and Ms. Belinda Prim.

It's past time for a change at this intersection.