The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has proposed a significant intersection upgrade on Baymeadows Road, recommending the installation of a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalk and a refuge island, as reported by Action News Jax. This recommendation follows the tragic incident where local teacher Mitchell Patch and his one-year-old son were struck and killed by a car while exiting a restaurant in the vicinity of Goodbys Executive Drive earlier this year.
According to First Coast News, a subsequent traffic study was prompted after the fatal accident that occurred on May 16, yielding data revealing 12 crashes at the intersection since 2020, with one fatal, two resulting in injuries, and nine resulting in property damage; half of these crashes happened during daylight, and half at night, locals have described this stretch of road as a "race track" at night due to the speed of the vehicles.
FDOT's report, as detailed by News4Jax, confirmed that the crosswalk would feature flashing lights along with the median refuge island, designed for roads where current traffic gaps for pedestrians are insufficient, especially where speed limits exceed 35 mph or have more than two lanes. FDOT's assessment indicates the possibility that the initial accident could have been prevented if the proposed crosswalk had already been in place.
Councilman Joe Carlucci has been advocating for these safety enhancements and noted this recommendation as a major step toward boosting pedestrian safety in the area, expressing reassurance to his constituents that further necessary steps will be pursued with urgency, lanes Thomas, a community member, supported the need for this change, adding a personal account of witnessing the aftermath of the tragic event months ago, "I was here months ago when that happened, a man getting hit right here. I’m pretty sure it was a child also," he told News4Jax.
