FORT MYERS, Fla. — People near Palm Beach Boulevard are calling for improved safety measures following the death of a 14-year-old boy who was struck while crossing the busy road.
A petition is circulating for more pedestrian crossing signs and flashing lights along the corridor where locals say speeding is common and crossing is dangerous.
Tomas Venabides has lived near Palm Beach Boulevard since 1989 and says crossing the street hasn't improved over the decades.
"No hay señalamientos de cruces de peatonal, no hay luces, en otras áreas, sí hay mucho, pero aquí no vemos nada, aquí está, se señalamiento pero no hay nada, no señala nada.
(There are no pedestrian crossing signs, there are no lights in other areas, yes there is a lot, but here we don't see anything, here it is, there are signs but there is nothing, it doesn't indicate anything)," Venabides said.
Watch Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades explain what Venabides wants done to the area:
The speed limit on this stretch of Palm Beach Boulevard is 45 mph, but people in the area say many drivers go over that.
Venabides demonstrated how pedestrians must run to avoid getting hit when crossing at breaks in the median.
It was near where 14-year-old Nestor Vasquez Sylvestre was struck by a car and killed while trying to cross Palm Beach Boulevard on his bicycle Thursday morning.
The boy's mother, Carina Sylvestre, wants the road to be safer for the community.
"Pongan o hagan algo en ese camino porque está muy peligroso, no, no solo para mí sino ese es para toda la ciudad porque no es la primera vez que muere alguien.
(They should put or do something on that road because it's very dangerous, not just for me but for the whole city because it's not the first time someone has died)," Sylvestre said.
Venabides started a petition calling for more pedestrian crossing signs and a flashing light, so drivers can see the crosswalk, which currently lacks visible road markings.
"Me gustaría que se lo hiciera un cambio positivo un cambio donde podemos decir puedo cruzar con confianza a la calle. Eso es lo que se necesita. (I'd like to see it become a positive change, a change where we can say I can confidently cross the street. That's what's needed)," Venabides said.
Fox 4 reached out to the Florida Department of Transportation. FDOT says they'll respond after the Memorial Day holiday.
RELATED COVERAGE: Mom of teen killed in Fort Myers bicycle crash urging safety awareness
RELATED COVERAGE: Fort Myers crash kills 14-year-old bicyclist
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
