INDIANAPOLIS — A neighborhood in Indianapolis is taking matters into its own hands when it comes to finding a solution to the growing problem of pedestrians and bicyclists being hit by cars.
For those that drive down 38th in the city’s Crown Hill Neighborhood, it is hard to miss a white bike on at the street’s intersection with Boulevard Place.
“That day definitely changed everything,” Amauria Henderson said. She is talking about the day her older brother, Andre was hit and killed. The white bike at the corner of 38th Street and Boulevard Place is in memory of him.
“Everybody knows 38th street is like Indy 500,” Henderson said.
Nearly two years after the accident, the memories are still raw for Henderson and her family of the young man who lost his life while trying to cross the road.
“He was young, but he had an old soul,” Henderson said holding back tears. She wore a pin in honor of her late brother.
Making a change to stop the problem is something neighbors are coming together to do following Andre’s death and others. While it may be faded, the message written on the pavement just four blocks from the accident is loud and clear -- ‘120 is Enough.’
“Maybe we should’ve said 120 is too much because in the past 10 years, in the Mid north neighborhoods, the combined neighborhoods, there have been on average one pedestrian or bicycle accident per month,” Charles Tony Knight said. He is a board member of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association.
The 120 is Enough campaign is a collaborative effort between several organizations including the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association, Midtown Indy and the Martin Luther King Community Center. Grant funding came from AARP and Health by Design.
“For the city and community leaders, we need to think about having traffic calming things,” Knight said.
It is personal for many behind the campaign, especially those with the Teen Work Crew. The group painted the message along Boulevard Place earlier this summer. Andre was a part of the MLK Center family.
“If you’re being aware while you’re driving you will actually have enough time to slow down more and not hit anybody,” Charity Malone with MLK Center said.
For families like the Hendersons, it is things like this message on the road that shows people care.
Amauria hopes others do too, especially behind the wheel.
“I want more people to pay attention because 120 is enough. More than enough,” Henderson said.
Other neighborhoods in the midtown area of the city are also taking part in the 120 is Enough campaign. The next steps are to look at traffic measures to put in place in high accident areas to slow traffic down and protect pedestrians.
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