SUV Versus Pedestrian With Fatal Outcome In West Ridge

Religious candles arranged in a circle mark where a deadly hit and run took the life of an 83 year old man earlier this evening (6:30 pm) at California and Devon (southwest corner). According to CBS a red SUV sped through the intersection running a red light and never stopped.

The witness says some people chased the vehicle on but the SUV was too fast for them. It got away. It was last seen going south at Rockwell and Peterson.

California was blocked off from Devon to Granville after the deadly accident. Neighbors sat on a guardrail just south of the CVS enjoying a warm summer night and contemplating the crime scene. Watching the news we see a lone shoe sitting forlornly in the middle of street.

Please continue reading for more pictures and words

If any place in the city needs traffic calming its Devon Avenue. Ward 50 has let us know that a decade long project is in the works; the Devon streetscape.

That and speed cameras can't happen fast enough for this intersection. (remember the hit and run this past January at Devon and Maplewood?) At least the first phases will be adjacent to this dangerous intersection. Phase I is from Sacramento to California - 2013/14, Phase II California to Rockwell.

Streetscape plans include bump outs, clearer cross walks, wider sidewalks, more lighting, planters, seating, etc. Actual construction for the first phase is supposed to start a little over a year from now. Fall 2013.

So called community identifiers are part of the plan. Which will consist painting the actual asphalt road, street signs and screens.

The safety of Devon can only improve with these measures currently being implemented on Lawrence Avenue between Broadway and Ashland.