Deadly Accident Puts Miami Township Intersection in The Spotlight

CASE. TOWNSHIP INTERSECTION AFTER A MAN IS HIT AND KILLED WHILE TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET. ALEXA ASHWELL IS LIVE WITH THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS AND WHAT ODOT OFFICIALS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. THE INTERSECTION WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT IS STATE ROUTE 7-41 AND ALEX BELL ROAD IN MIAMI TOWNSHIP. RIGHT NOW, IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS OR CROSSWALKS. AND WE WANTED TO CONTACTED ODOT OFFICIALS BECAUSE 7-41 IS A STATE ROUTE. A SPOKESPERSON TOLD ME THERE ARE NO LAWS REGARDING REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE ROADWAYS. ITS SIMPLY BASED ON RESEARCH AND DECIDED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. A 76-YEAR-OLD MAN IS HOSPITAL WHERE HE LATER DIES AFTER BEING HIT BY AN SUV AT THE INTERSECTION OF STATE ROUTE 7-41 AND ALEX BELL ROAD WEDNESDAY EVENING. OFFICIALS SAY BURTON SMITH WAS IN THE WRONG WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE BUSY ROADWAY. BUT HIS DEATH HAS RESIDENTS QUESTIONING THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS. 04:12 "I DEFINITELY THINK IT NEEDS A CROSSWALK. AS MUCH TRAFFIC AS YOU SEE." 04:14 WE CHECKED WITH ODOT AND THEY TELL US MORE THAN 22-THOUSAND CARS DRIVE THROUGH THIS MIAMI TOWNSHIP INTERSECTION A DAY. TRAFFIC CONTROLLER BUTTONS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AT EACH CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION FOR PEDESTRIANS, BUT IT LACKS PEDESTIAN SIGNALS AND CROSSWALKS. 01:17 INSTALLING CROSSWALKS WOULD BE VERY APPROPRIATE AT THIS INTERSECTION THERE IS A LOT OF FOOT TRAFFIC. :22 SUSAN HUBBELL IS A LONG TIME MIAMI TOWNSHIP RESIDENT. SHE BELIEVES THE INTERSECTION IS A HUGE DANGER FOR PEDESTRIANS .. WHO ARE OFTEN CROSSING FROM HOUSES ON THE WEST SIDE OF 741 ... TO RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY 01:22. A LOT OF TEENS AND YOUNGER CHILDREN COME THOUGH HERE." :27 I TOOK SUSAN HUBBELL'S AND OTHER MIAMI TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS CONCERNS TO ODOT OFFICIALS. A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER SAYS THE DISTRICT PLANS ON MAKING CHANGES TO 741 FROM ALEX BELL TO ORCHARD RUN ROADS IN THE SPRING OF 20-14. ODOT PLANS TO RESURFACE THE ROAD AND WILL BE ADDING SIDEWALKS, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE RAMPS, DITCH ENCLOSURES, AS WELL AS UPGRADING ALL TRAFFIC SIGNALS. ODOT OFFICIALS WERE NOT ABLE TO GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE AS TO WHEN THESE CHANGES WOULD BE FINISHED, BUT SAY IT WOULD 2NEWS.