Cumberland County officials look to boost pedestrian safety

In 2017, the county reported 14 pedestrian deaths, more than double the number in 2015.

Bonnie Stiff says she'll never forget Nov. 9, 2018, the date her 19-year-old neighbor Jennifer Berger was killed while crossing N.C. State Highway 301 near the airport.

"We didn't know what was going on, but we passed it and they were putting a cover on the lady alongside the road," Stiff says. "But we didn't know what happened. It was awful."

Authorities say Berger darted in front of a pickup truck coming from a vigil for Jesse Adams, 19.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, six pedestrians were hit and killed in Cumberland County in 2015.

That number jumped to 10 in 2016 and got even worse in 2017.

Police identify man in wheelchair killed in Fayetteville crash

Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin is concerned about the trend.

"Public safety covers a large variety of things," he said. "We are taking aggressive steps to make the city more walkable."

The mayor said the city has worked to improve pedestrian visibility by adding zebra striping to streets, added more lighting and adding timers to street lights so pedestrians know how long they have before the traffic signal changes.

But residents complain that the traffic where Berger and Adams were killed has grown more congested ever since the Walmart opened in the area.

Residents also say there just aren't enough street lights to make walking along the road safe.

The mayor says keeping pedestrians safe is a two-way street.

"Wear lit clothing (at night) if you're walking so that you can be seen," Colvin said. "And make sure that you practice good judgment when you're moving about the city. We'll do our part to make sure that the safety measures are in place, but we definitely need the citizens to do their part."