KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – New Safety Measures Unveiled at Sutherland Avenue
In a heartwarming move to enhance pedestrian safety, Knoxville is taking significant steps following a tragic incident that occurred six months ago. A student from West High School was struck by a vehicle while crossing Sutherland Avenue. The young girl was following all the safety protocols—using the crosswalk and with the walk signal on—but still suffered injuries that her mother says will affect her life permanently. This unfortunate event prompted Vision Zero, a global initiative aimed at zero traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries, to take action.
Improvements in the Works
Cody Gentry, the Vision Zero coordinator, explained that the student “did everything correctly,” which raised concerns on how to improve safety at this particular crosswalk. As a community-focused project, it was important to make real changes to ensure something like this never happens again. As a result, the team decided on a method called centerline hardening. This means they are introducing raised rubber curbing along the yellow centerline of the road and implementing curb bulb-out measures at the sidewalks. The idea is simple yet effective: making it more challenging for drivers to turn quickly and ensuring pedestrians are more visible.
Community Thoughts on the Change
Tim Tittle, a local resident who lives right across from the bustling Sutherland and Tobler intersection, expressed his thoughts on the new changes. “I’ve seen some close calls, but it’s mostly people not paying attention, on both sides,” Tittle shared, emphasizing that the added curbing could make a significant difference. He noted, “It does help drivers pay more attention to people crossing, making me feel safer.”
Tittle appreciates the new features that will lead drivers to slow down and rethink their speed as they approach the intersection. “A lot of people turn the corner at fairly good speeds and you have no choice but to slow down now,” he added. It’s clear he believes these changes are not just beneficial but necessary for community safety.
Aiming for a Safer Future
Vision Zero’s mission is ambitious: they aim to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries on roads by 2040. Gentry noted how critical it is for students walking to school to feel secure, especially in light of the recent incident. “With those students, so many of them walking to school using that route, we want to make this as safe as possible,” said Gentry. “So it happened once, and we’re willing to learn from it and use something like this to get it on the ground as quick as possible to prevent that from happening in the future.”
A Model for Future Projects
What’s particularly exciting is that this is the first intersection in Knoxville to implement centerline hardening, but it won’t be the last. Gentry revealed plans to expand this initiative to other locations throughout the city. The hope is that the valuable lessons learned here can help safeguard lives and foster a community environment that prioritizes pedestrian safety.
As Knoxville gears up for these changes, residents are showing a supportive response, knowing that these improvements are paving the way for a safer future. It’s a reminder that through community action and thoughtful planning, we can significantly enhance safety for pedestrians on our streets.
