INDIANAPOLIS — East Washington Street is again the focus of concern after a child was struck by a vehicle early Wednesday.
The girl is in serious but stable condition after being struck by a car just before 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of East Washington Street and North Kitley Avenue, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police. Detectives believe the girl was crossing the street trying to get to a bus stop when she was hit.
An officer on the scene told news outlets that a bus was stopped near the intersection’s red light. The bus driver saw the girl coming and activated the stop arm. At the same time, the traffic light turned green and an eastbound vehicle struck the girl.
In a social media post, the girl’s mother asked for prayers “to protect (her daughter’s) mind, body and spirit for this journey. We are still in the thick of understanding all of the damage but she has been conscious.”
Officers have not publicly identified the girl or the driver of the vehicle.
Many businesses and residents in the Irvington neighborhood say intersections along East Washington have been a problem for a while. Jimmie Freeman with Skyline Motel, which sits right on the intersection, said he has almost been hit numerous times.
“It’s very dangerous. Even when you have the right of way to continue,” Freeman said. “People don’t obey the stop arm from school buses. They will go around the buses and keep going. I think they go so fast that maybe the bus drivers can’t catch their license plate. So, who knows if they even get reported.”
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Washington Street is one of the more heavily traveled roads in Indianapolis for people by car and by foot. According to the city’s Fatal Crash Review Team, there were 334 pedestrian versus vehicle crashes in Marion County last year. Vision 0, a worldwide initiative aimed at reaching zero traffic-related deaths or serious injuries, analyzed data for Indianapolis and concluded East Washington had a high-risk traffic safety score.
“Why isn’t anybody doing anything about this?” Freeman questioned.
One mile west in 2021, a 7-year-old girl was killed and her mother and crossing guard were injured after being struck in a multi-vehicle collision.
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Freeman said he would like to see steeper penalties for people who are not obeying traffic laws at the intersection.
Eric Hudnall has lived a few doors up the street from the intersection of Wednesday’s crash for the past 50 years. He sees dozens of children throughout the regular school year — and even summer — walking up and down his neighborhood.
“There’s no sidewalks. So, they’re kind of out in the street anyway when they’re walking up and down it. Cars speed up and down this street all the time, too. I was thinking it was just going to be a matter of time and then it happened today,” Hudnall said.
What can be done? Washington and Meridian Streets are in poor condition. But would a state takeover help?
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works manages infrastructure improvements for the city and its 2024 capital improvement project does include sidewalks and trails along East Washington Street, but stops a few blocks short of North Kitley Avenue. The department told IndyStar that Washington Street will see some pedestrian upgrades as IndyGo expands its services with the Blue Line integration.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the child Wednesday remained on the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. They were transported for a standard procedure blood draw and later released.
Police are still investigating.
Contact Jade Jackson at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Girl struck trying to catch school bus on troubled Indianapolis street
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