MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s a scene that happens far too often in Memphis.
“It’s the speeding for me! They come over here speeding and they really ain’t going anywhere except this house down the street,” a family member of the victim said.
Last year was a record-setting year with 64 pedestrian deaths. That’s up almost 60 percent from the previous record a year before.
“It’s a trend that we’ve been seeing for a number of years now, and it was extremely aggravated in 2020,” said Nick Oyler, the City of Memphis Bikeway and Pedestrian Program Manager.
City of Memphis officials said it’s no surprise that numbers are heading in the wrong direction.
“Many of our streets are pretty hostile to pedestrians,” Oyler said.
They claim while roadways around the Mid-South are designed to benefit drivers and the flow of traffic, there are systematic issues making life dangerous for anyone walking.
The only real solution? An overhaul including more crosswalks, safer intersections and improved sidewalk access.
“We absolutely all need to exercise caution. But, the main thing we need to do is design and build streets that equitably accommodate everyone that uses them,” said Oyler.
Officials said due to current budget restrictions, they can only tackle “a couple” of projects a year. It’s a relatively slow start when faced with hundreds of areas that could use safety improvements.
In an effort to make pedestrian safety a priority, the city is launching its first safety communications campaign hoping to save lives.
“One, increasing awareness. But also trying to educate safe practices,” said Oyler.
