SUN CITY, AZ — Some commuters in Sun City say crossing a certain intersection is no walk in the park.
Crosswalks are available in some areas but absent in others of the same popular intersection.
A few years ago Linda Neal, of Sun City, traded in her four wheels for two. A bike is her primary mode of transportation.
The Huffy was given to her by a neighbor before they passed away. She says her neighbor, always looked to better the community.
“He was always involved in the community, he gave me this bike when he could no longer ride and when I’m riding I say, this one is for you,” she said.
So, she lives on that legacy as she rides anywhere from 20-50 miles a week around Sun City, even when the sun isn’t so kind.
Recently her gripe isn’t with the weather but more with one of the busier intersections of Del Webb and Grand Avenue.
”I’ve been nearly creamed almost a half dozen times, almost every day I can get killed,” she said.
She lives north of the intersection. If she wants to cross Grand Avenue on the west side to get to the grocery store, there’s not an option on that side.
For clarity, there are crosswalks on this intersection, but they’re isolated to the southeast corner, leaving those who want to cross on the west side with limited options.
”It’s hard to get safely across the street, four lanes and a median, four lanes on foot!? This is a senior citizen community,” said Neal.
Linda brought this to ABC15’s Operation Safe Roads. She was told by the Maricopa County Department of Transportation, that putting a crosswalk there would require cooperation from ADOT and BNSF railway.
Right now there’s no funding for a project like that.
ADOT told ABC15 in a statement, in part, Crosswalks at the intersection are strategically placed to provide the shortest crossing and allow optimized signal times for the safe movement of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.
The railroad told us the city would need to work with ADOT to get any project started.
What she’s asking for looks to change a small portion of Grand Avenue, she feels – for the better.
”I don’t think I’m asking for too much, just a couple of sidewalks and pedestrian right of ways, you know, to cross a major highway,” she said.