Chapel Hill police increase patrols at high traffic pedestrian areas

On Tuesday, more Chapel Hill police officers will be on the roads in an effort to improve safety for pedestrians.

Posted 11:02 a.m. Jan 11, 2022 — Updated 11:02 a.m. Jan 11, 2022

Nia Harden

, WRAL reporter

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — On Tuesday, more Chapel Hill police officers will be on the roads in an effort to improve safety for pedestrians.

Officers will be stationed at areas known for heavy pedestrian traffic, including downtown and along crosswalks on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Estes Drive, where there are many walkers and bikers.

The targeted enforcement effort will begin at 8 a.m. and continue until noon. It will be repeated several days throughout the month.

Tuesday's patrol comes just weeks after two middle schoolers, ages 13 and 14, were hit in a crosswalk on Estes Drive. The driver was charged with failure to yield to pedestrian in a clearly marked crosswalk or regular pedestrian crossing.

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After the crash, community members rallied along the street, asking officials to make it safer for pedestrians.

A road project to make Estes Drive more pedestrian friendly has been delayed since spring. The town created the Estes Drive Connectivity project over a decade ago, but so far no improvements have been made.

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The project is slated to construct sidewalks, a crosswalk, intersection improvements and raised bike lanes.

During the rally, neighbors demanded that the city stop putting off safety measures and take basic steps like repaint the crosswalk and install reflectors.

People who live nearby told WRAL News this has to become a priority.

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