PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Flowers mark a makeshift memorial at the site where an elderly man was struck and killed by a car at a pedestrian crosswalk a week ago in Pittsford.
Pati Robben lives on South Main Street, not far from the scene of last week's fatal accident. Pati first began contacting local leaders about the pedestrian crosswalk a year ago, requesting marking signs on the state road.
"Motorists are not aware of the fact that there's a crosswalk there and that is I think the main problem. The lines on the road are faded, there are no pre-warning signs or signs that mark the actual location of the crosswalk," said Robben.
Pittsford Town Supervisor Bill Smith says two months prior to the fatal accident, the state issued a study of the crosswalk on Route 64, but Smith decided to push the envelope.
The supervisor instructed his crews to put up signs to notify motorists of a crosswalk, but the state stepped in to prevent the action. Both parties agreed to put up a cone with a sign to indicate pedestrian crossing.
"It's a larger issue. It's a question of acculturating people in this region to the idea that these pedestrian crossings are there and the pedestrian has the right of way," said Smith.
Robben, along with town leaders, agree that roadside signs are more effective than the markers in the middle of the road that keep getting knocked down and destroyed.
"We can't just take a passive role and say 'well we have to wait for the state to do something.' What we can do is engage with them to let them know that just how concerned we are," said Robben.
For now, the cone will remain and the town is requesting police presence at that intersection.
Robben says her goal since a year ago is to improve at least one crosswalk in one town.
"I feel like the longer we wait, the more chances we have for another tragedy to occur," said Robben.
The state DOT tells Spectrum News it has not removed any signs at the intersection. A spokesperson went on to say:
“Safety is our top priority. We are awaiting the outcome of the police investigation of last week’s crash and we’re conducting a traffic safety evaluation of the roadway in conjunction with local officials. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community.”