PINE HILLS, Fla. – After multiple pedestrian crashes along Silver Star Road, the Florida Department of Transportation is moving forward with safety upgrades in Pine Hills.
FDOT officials said three pedestrians have been hit so far this year along Silver Star Road from Mercy Drive to Good Homes Road. The crashes come one year after eight pedestrians were hit along the same stretch.
Residents who cross the roadway daily said it can feel dangerous.
“It’s dangerous. That’s why I’m so scared to cross with my kid,” said Amber Wilson, who lives in Pine Hills.
FDOT is already working on changes near La Harve Boulevard, where two people were hit and killed during the same week last year, according to FDOT officials.
One of the upgrades includes an RCUT, or restricted crossing U-turn, intersection, which would limit certain turning movements and reduce conflict points. FDOT officials said the RCUT design can also separate pedestrians and cyclists from vehicles by using a diagonal crosswalk to cross Silver Star Road.
“In a competition between a pedestrian and a U-turning driver, the car is going to win,” said Jae Fortune, a Pine Hills resident. “And if they win, we lose.”
While FDOT’s plan focuses on intersections, residents said they also want more crosswalks along the corridor, especially for families and students.
“More crosswalks. We need more of those,” Wilson said.
FDOT expects the RCUT project at La Harve Boulevard to be finished this fall, with additional pedestrian crosswalks added nearby. Similar upgrades are also planned near Hastings Street and Sheringham Road, along with a larger project scheduled for 2027 from Lake Stanley Road to Hiawassee Road.