ONLY ON 3: Downtown residents say new crosswalk on 3rd Street isn’t safe

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A stretch of 3rd Street in Downtown Wilmington home to schools, churches, kids and pets was in desperate need of a crosswalk. A new, state-of-the-art crosswalk is supposed to allow people to cross the street, but so far that’s not the case.

The City of Wilmington and Residents of Old Wilmington helped pay for the crosswalk called a rectangular rapid flash beacon. It’s the first of its kind in the state.

“It talks to ya, it lights up, it flashes strobe lights at the driver,” councilman Kevin O’Grady said. “You can’t claim you didn’t know their was a crosswalk here. It’s pretty obvious.”

Many residents say the crosswalk is a good effort, but hasn’t been effective as drivers refuse to stop.

“I don’t think they’re gonna stop, because it’s a main street, and we’re kinda getting out of the whole city and getting into the housing developments,” Morgan Sparks said. I don’t think they’re gonna stop.”

By law, pedestrians do have the right of way so they’re asking drivers to give them a brake and slow down.