It's been a week since 76-year-old Soile Lazarz was hit and killed in a Cary crosswalk on Ederlee Dr. Her neighbors -- who say her death was preventable -- are pushing for safety changes.
Marlyn Gladieux lived in the same neighborhood as Soile Lazarz.
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"When I first heard about it, it was a shock. Sadness. My neighbor three doors down [died]," Gladieux said.
Following the death of her neighbor, Gladieux wanted to make a change at the crosswalk. She organized a "task force" meeting with North Carolina and Town of Cary representatives today, including State Representative Julie von Haefen. Von Haefen says she's pushing the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Town of Cary to make changes as soon as possible.
"Now that this has happened and I’ve gotten more involved, we’re trying to speed up that process in any way that we can," von Haefen said.
The NCDOT told WRAL last week that it conducted a review of the crosswalk in 2025 following complaints and plans to install a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) – something with a stoplight – in 2028.
Neighbors want to know why that project can't start sooner.
Von Haefen says the problem is red tape. Ederlee Dr., the road the crosswalk is on, is maintained by the state -- but the sidewalk is maintained by the Town of Cary. The PHB is funded by federal money and requires tests and preparation before it can be installed, she says. WRAL asked NCDOT whether that project will move up.
A spokesperson responded saying,"We are dedicated to delivering project HS-2605N … in a timely manner and will continue to evaluate options to expeditiously deliver the construction of the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) at this location.”
The statement went on to explain that there are multiple projects slated for construction that were approved before this one.
In the meantime, neighbors are pushing for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) -- signs with flashing lights -- at the crosswalk. But that project, von Haefen says, would have to be funded and executed by the Town of Cary -- not NCDOT.
“I’m just gonna be continuing to push the Town of Cary to fund this beacon or to figure out if we need to move this crosswalk," von Haefen said. "[I'm going to] continue to be the voice for the neighbors – that’s my job at this point."
WRAL reached out to the Town of Cary about whether it plans to fund and install RRFBs at the crosswalk. We have not yet heard back.
