Concerned Chapel Hill citizens are protesting the dangerous traffic conditions around Estes Drive after two girls were hit by a car on New Year’s Eve while using a crosswalk in the area.
Both girls were injured in the accident: one continues to heal at home, while the other is still fighting against life-threatening injuries at UNC Hospital. Police confirmed that both girls were in the marked crosswalk when crossing the road.
“Of course, any crash that results in injuries to anyone is cause for concern for us, but one that involves not one but two young people is particularly tough for our responding officers,” the chief of Chapel Hill police department Chris Blue said.
Despite improvements to the crosswalks around Phillips Middle School over the years—including precautions to make pedestrians and the intersection more visible—safety remains an issue along Estes Drive.
“Since 2018, there have been four crashes involving pedestrians in the Estes Drive corridor between East Franklin Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd,” Blue said.
Members of the community gathered on January 7 along sidewalks on North Estes Drive to urge motorists to drive carefully and to advocate for better pedestrian infrastructure.
One of these protesters was Lilia Kushnir, a seventh grader at Phillips Middle School and a personal friend of one of the victims, Emmie Zwack.
“Emmie has been my friend ever since third grade, so I was pretty upset and surprised because I had never imagined someone would get hit, especially Emmie,” Kushnir said.
The accident has not only affected Kushnir, but also much of the Phillips Middle School student body and staff.
“Personally, I was devastated when I heard about the tragedy,” Phillips Middle School vice-principal Tiffany Cheshire said. “While I care about all of my kids during the school day, they are always still dear to me when they are off campus, and this accident was such a shock.”
The middle school has been working to help students cope with the tragedy; many of the students and faculty are now wearing “Emmie Strong” bracelets.
“[The bracelets] are free and kids can pick them up in student services. Emmie’s family donated them,” Cheshire said.
The Town of Chapel Hill will begin renovations to the intersection in March or April of this year as part of the Estes Drive Connectivity Project, which will include intersection improvements, as well as the addition of bike lanes on Estes Extension.
Until the project is complete, Blue advises residents use caution at the intersection.
“We remain concerned that, despite current efforts to enhance pedestrian safety, particularly around crosswalks, senseless and avoidable events continue to occur in our community,” he said.
