WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In West Palm Beach, a combination of Mar-a-Lago road blocks, the Palm Beach International Boat Show and ongoing city construction is pushing heavy traffic onto smaller streets — and pedestrians say it’s creating dangerous conditions.
WATCH BELOW: 'It’s the drivers that are causing the issues,' Christine Stiely tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
Residents and walkers are voicing safety concerns, pointing specifically to Dixie Highway and Belvedere Road, where traffic is constant and residents said many vehicles fail to yield at crosswalks.
"I fear it's getting worse and worse," said Ira Schultheis, who walks to work along the busy road. "We take our life in jeopardy walking across the street, cars don't have no respect for pedestrians."
He wrote to WPTV's Joel Lopez saying:
"Someone is going to get hurt or killed if something isn't done. It's not safe at all. Hope you can look into this and perhaps something can be done before it's too late."
Close calls on crowded streets
I began investigating after receiving an email from Schultheis, who said he’s had multiple near misses with drivers.
“Have you had any close calls yourself?” I asked.
“I have,” Schultheis replied. “Last week I was walking in the middle and if I didn’t stop and say, 'whoa' I would’ve got hit.”
Schultheis wants longer crossing times and flashing warning lights to help make pedestrians more visible.
“Please fix it, before it’s too late, before someone gets seriously injured and or killed,” he said. “I don’t want to see it happen, I don’t want to be injured, the higher ups need to get on the ball and fix it.”
Crosswalk timing under scrutiny
When I visited the intersection, I found traffic to be consistently busy. Crosswalks functioned as designed, but a few pedestrians with the walk light still had to stop for cars driving through the crosswalks.
I timed the crosswalk signal and observed: the white walk sign stays lit for about seven seconds before switching to a flashing stop signal for another 15 seconds.
Cyclists and walkers point to driver behavior
Christine Stiely, who crosses daily for groceries and exercise, said drivers are the real danger.
“Pedestrians follow the signals that are here for us, it’s the drivers that are causing the issues,” she said.
When I asked, “As a pedestrian, what would make it safer for you?”
Stiely replied, “I don’t know, send drivers back to driving school?”
WATCH BELOW: Flagler Drive closures cause traffic delays in West Palm Beach
I am awaiting responses from Palm Beach County officials, the Florida Department of Transportation, to learn whether crashes have been reported here and if safety upgrades are planned.
The West Palm Beach Police Department released crash information of accidents and hit & run over the last year within a one mile radius of 2751 s Dixie Hwy.
The findings show there were 656 incidents, which include 132 hit and runs, and 524 accidents and145 resulted in injuries but the findings did not clarify if the crashes involved pedestrians.
“It’s bad, it’s really bad, so I hope it gets improved,” Schultheis said.
Read more of WPTV's coverage below:
Traffic News
'CHAOTIC': Repairs to manhole expected to add detours down Flagler Drive
West Palm Beach
