Crystal Flannigan lives near Jay Hospital in Santa Rosa County, which is convenient because she had a kidney transplant over a year ago and goes to the hospital at least once a month, sometimes more, for lab work.
She walks to her medical appointments because she is legally blind due to a permanent disability that developed after the birth of her 21-year-old son.
However, crossing South Alabama Street to get to the hospital is a challenge because drivers rarely stop for her at the crosswalk that leads directly to the medical facility.
She usually relies on her hearing to tell when a car has passed but she’s not always 100% certain the coast is clear when she crosses, like the day a nearby lawnmower made it impossible to listen to traffic.
“People usually drive right past and don’t stop,” Flannigan said. “I have stood there 20 minutes before, waiting to cross and not being able to see and having to rely on your hearing, especially with the electric cars. Oh my goodness, it is a struggle.”
Flannigan’s partner, who is also blind, usually accompanies her to appointments and any other stops they need to make because most of the businesses and services they use are across the street.
She says they need a push-button pedestrian beacon at the intersection to alert motorists people are crossing, as well as a sign that people who are disabled utilize the crosswalk.
“It’s just that particular spot where you have to cross and with so many different little side roads and cars just flying out, it’s pretty dangerous,” Flannigan said. “I’ve lived here nine years and traffic has only stopped six times.”
Flannigan isn’t the only one who has noticed the traffic issues at the crosswalk.
Holly Kelley discovered how few cars stop at the crossing when she took up exercising around the area and found it was difficult to cross.
She posted about it on social media saying no one stops for pedestrians, including school buses.
Since then, Kelley says the Santa Rosa County school district has made their drivers aware they need to stop for people wanting to cross.
She also saw a comment from Flannigan on her post agreeing that it was especially difficult for her due to her disability, and Kelley became determined to help.
“Sometimes we don’t think about people being at a disadvantage and she’s at a disadvantage and she’s scared to cross there and she relies on it,” Kelley said. “I think that’s just a small thing that we can do for this resident and to make it safer for her.”
Both women have reached out to the Florida Department of Transportation for help getting the pedestrian traffic signals installed. Flannigan first reached out last April and Kelley followed up after her recent post.
An FDOT spokesperson says they do intend to install the equipment at the crosswalk and that it’s on order but delivery has been delayed due to a nationwide shortage. There’s no timeline on when it will arrive.
“As you’re approaching, there’ll be some beacons that will alert people that there is a crossing there, so flashing beacons will be installed north and south of the crossing,” FDOT spokesperson Ian Satter said.
Satter says FDOT also intends to resurface Alabama Street in 2027 and plans for the project to include moving the crossing and the pedestrian traffic beacons to a different location nearby.
“We’re going to slightly adjust it and move it a little bit because it empties into a parking lot,” Satter said. “We want to adjust the crossings there so that it’ll cross in a more convenient location. You want to have sidewalk access and the right type of access to the pedestrian facilities.”
Folks like Flannigan and Kelley say the sooner the crosswalk’s safety issues are addressed the better.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Walking blind into traffic: Dangerous Jay Hospital crosswalk causes concern
Reporting by Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
