Video: Pedestrians Calling For Safety Improvements On Busy Intersection

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)-There’s now become a push for pedestrian safety improvements on Blackjack Road in Starkville.

This comes just days after a Mississippi State University student was struck by an alleged drunk driver on the intersection of Hardy and Blackjack road.

“It’s always hard to cross this intersection because no one wants to yield for you anymore,” said Shauntorie Corley, who lives right off of the Blackjack Road.

Corley has to cross this intersection everyday to get to her classes, and said not having a crosswalk in place is the biggest problem.

“As long as there’s not a crosswalk no one stops or anything,” she explained. “You have to like run across, just to get across.”

Though students do believe that walking across the dangerous and busy intersection is the most a convenient way for them to get on campus, however, they all agreed it isn’t the safest.

“Yea it’s not safe at all,” said Corley. “People blow, they give you faces. I’ve had one dude to say something to me, I don’t know what he said, but he jumped at me and said something to me while I was trying to cross.”

“Certain instances people keep driving like they don’t care, which is kind of bothersome,” said Kendall Comish, who also crosses the intersection everyday to get on campus.

Comish also stays in a nearby apartment right off of Blackjack Road, and believes there’s fault to be had on both the pedestrian and the driver’s behalf.

“I have to agree with both sides,” said Comish. “I think it’s a little bit of both, because there are people that are constantly on their phone and they aren’t paying attention, but at the same time there also drivers who aren’t paying attention when they should be so I think it’s something we both need to work on together. ”

However one local organization is currently working to make that intersection a little safer and pedestrian friendly.

Starkville In Motion has started a petition too implement a crosswalk in that area.

“Everyone in Starkville deserves to have a safe environment in a way that they can maintain a fit and active lifestyle of walking, using side walks, riding bicycles without coming into constant conflict with motorized traffic,” said Chris Ayers, member of Starkville In Motion.

This particular area of Blackjack Road is owned by Oktibbeha County.

As of now, SIM said they have not been in contact with the Oktibbeha Board of Supervisors about implementing the crosswalk. However, they’re hoping the petition will catch the supervisors attention.

For more information on how to sign the petition visit Change.org or starkvilleinmotion.org