MACON, Ga. — After two recent accidents where men were hit walking across Pio Nono Avenue, a Macon woman says she's had enough.
The first was last Wednesday, when 65-year-old Richard Smith was treated at Navicent after being hit.
Then, on Sunday, 64-year-old Johnny Arnold Sr. was struck and killed.
When Mary Glass heard her friend and neighbor, Arnold, was hit, she made a sign that says 'Stop pedestrian killings on Pio Nono Avenue. We need help. How many have to die.'
"He didn't deserve to die like that. Nobody deserves to die on Pio Nono Avenue," says Glass.
She has lived next to Arnold at the Economy Hotel for the last year.
"There was nothing I could do about him being killed, but I know that I can do something in the aftermath and that's try to help others out here."
Glass says they have to cross the street to be able to use their food stamps, but there is no crosswalk in sight.
"All these people around here knows this place is dangerous."
Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones says between 2017 and 2019, 10 pedestrians were killed on Pio Nono Avenue, which turns into Hawkinsville Road and Highway 247.
Seven pedestrians have been hit and killed so far in 2020 around Macon.
Only one has died on Pio Nono this year, but he says three other people were hit.
Jones says based on the numbers, Pio Nono is one of the most dangerous roads in Bibb County.
Bibb County Commissioner Elaine Lucas agrees that Pio Nono, Gray Highway, and Eisenhower Parkway are dangerous for pedestrians.
"The responsibility doesn't just fall on the walker, but it falls on those who are driving to be as safe as they possibly can," says Lucas.
She says Bibb County's Pedestrian Safety Review Board is working to get the Georgia Department of Transportation do more traffic studies on these major highways.
The goal is to add crosswalks and caution lights and other pedestrian safety features to bring down the number of accidents.
"Anything that happens that is new construction or upgrades in the community you're gonna see new pedestrian safety features."
She says getting those in place on older roads and intersections takes a little more time.
"Those places where we need these features placed and going ahead and implementing them is a long drawn out process, but we're committed to it."
Lucas says the county has money set aside for pedestrian safety projects, like the roundabout going in on Eisenhower Parkway and Fulton Mill Road, but in the meantime, Glass says she's begging drivers to slow down.