CHARLOTTE — A neighborhood safety effort is making progress at an east Charlotte intersection, where a young girl was hit and killed after getting off a school bus.
For the past week, Channel 9 has documented one man’s push for changes along Barrington Drive. His efforts have already helped secure a traffic study and new stop signs, and now he is pushing for speed humps in hopes of preventing another tragedy.
Channel 9’s Evan Donovan has been following the effort and returned to the area to see whether the new stop signs are making a difference.
The improvement has been significant. Channel 9 saw fewer than a dozen drivers go through the stop signs Friday, a major improvement from Monday.
The neighbor who pushed for the stop signs is now seeking additional safety improvements.
The city told Channel 9 it is working to expedite the next step in the process.
[ READ MORE: Speed humps considered after 6-year-old killed on east Charlotte street ]
Resident Kevin Mousaw has been advocating for changes since he was the first adult on the scene after Mariana Espinoza was hit and killed.
Mousaw said Duke Energy came to the area Thursday, and he noticed markings that he believes could indicate a new streetlight.
When asked if he thought it could mean a new streetlight, Mousaw said, “I’m thinking a new streetlight.”
Mousaw also submitted a request to improve the existing streetlights at the intersection. He said one light has appeared dim for years.
“This is how that light has been for years, and we thought it was dim. But when I reported it as being dim, Duke (Energy) called me a few days later and said the light is functioning properly, that’s as bright as it’s going to get because that’s what wattage the city had originally requested to be put there,” Mousaw said. “So, they’re going to send a request to the city to see if they wish to pay to upgrade the wattage and get a better streetlight.”
Mousaw previously requested new stop signs at the intersection. Channel 9 watched with him Monday as drivers went through the signs hours after they were installed.
Mousaw said drivers’ behavior has improved somewhat since then.
“Hit or miss. Hit or miss. I would say the majority now are at least stopping or doing a rolling stop, but it’s still a good 40% just flying through,” Mousaw said.
Mousaw has also asked the Charlotte Department of Transportation for speed humps at the intersection.
The road already meets the first requirements. It has two lanes, is residential, has a 25 mph speed limit, and is 40 feet wide or less.
The next step is a speed and traffic volume study. Since Barrington Drive already has speed humps farther down the road and the intersection now has stop signs, at least 1,500 vehicles a day must pass through the intersection, with an average speed of at least 5 mph over the 25 mph speed limit.
CDOT told Mousaw the process of getting new speed humps could take anywhere from six months to two years from the initial request to installation.
Mousaw said he is continuing to push for the changes to make the area safer for everyone.
“Well, I do have a wonderful little grandbaby, too. He does spend at least a weekend here every now and then. So we just wanna make sure it’s safe for everyone,” Mousaw said.