PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Nineteen-year-old Isaiah Castellano was on his way to work Friday morning. He was crossing at a crosswalk on his skateboard when a crane truck driver ran a red light, hitting and killing Castellano.
Many people who use that same crosswalk at Gulf-to-Bay Blvd. and Old Coachman Rd. in Clearwater say it's often dangerous.
"That's my greatest fear," said Tom Garrity, a cyclist.
The Pinellas Trail crosses the busy intersection that has been problematic for a long time, said Chelsea Favero with Forward Pinellas. This organization works to improve pedestrian safety in Florida's most densely populated county.
"This particular intersection has been on our radar for years," said Favero.
She says they looked into having an overpass built, but the power lines won't allow for it. But she says other improvements are in the works.
"To the average driver, what you're going to see is much brighter paint on the roadway surface and additional markings on the roadway advance of the crossing to let them know they can expect to see pedestrians and bicyclists as they approach the intersection," said Favero.
Favero says those changes are coming in the next three to five years.
