Residents Demand Action After Tragic Incident

Residents of Pineridge are expressing their outrage and sorrow after a tragic incident left a 17-year-old girl dead at a notoriously dangerous intersection in northeast Calgary. Local inhabitants claim they had long sounded alarms about pedestrian safety at the corner of Rundlehorn Drive and 26th Avenue N.E., where the young victim, identified as Amy Tran, was fatally struck by a vehicle on Wednesday.

Witnesses report that Tran, a Grade 12 student at nearby Lester B. Pearson High School, was hit in a marked crosswalk by a Ford EcoSport driven by a 75-year-old woman after she had just completed a diploma exam. Family members described the moment as a horrifying turn of events for a promising young life.

Long-Time Residents Voice Frustration

Long-time resident Greg Papp, who has lived at the intersection for over 50 years, recounted his frustration in trying to get the city to address safety challenges. “When I first moved in, we averaged about one accident a week at that intersection,” Papp stated. Even after years of advocacy, it took considerable effort to convince the city to install a four-way stop.

Despite that intervention, Papp estimates that approximately 80 percent of drivers ignore the stop signs, and speeding remains rampant. “They use it as a drag strip,” he asserted, emphasizing the urgent need for better traffic calming measures, especially considering the heavy pedestrian traffic that includes children waiting for school buses.

Calls for Immediate Action

Devastated by the recent tragedy, Papp has called for pedestrian traffic lights and additional safety features to prevent future incidents. “Sooner or later, you knew something was gonna happen,” he lamented, underscoring a community deeply affected by inaction.

Nearby resident Marilyn Desnoyers voiced similar concerns, having previously sent multiple requests to the city for enhanced traffic measures. “I always see cars racing through here going over 80 km/h,” Desnoyers said. Concerned not only for her own safety but also for the children who cross the street, she added, “There’s schools, there are young children across the street.”

Community Calls for Change

The growing echo of residents pleading for change raises an important question: how many more tragedies must occur before action is taken? With such stark warnings unheeded by city officials, the community is left to wonder if this tragic loss could have been prevented. The grief-stricken residents hold out hope that their calls for safer streets will finally be taken seriously, resulting in meaningful change that could save lives in the future.