Deadly stretch of A1A has neighbors pushing for reduced speeds
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A New Year's Eve traffic death has neighbors desperate for change.
FHP is still investigating the crash where a 36-year-old woman driving a motorcycle died.
People who live near the Shell gas station on State Road A1A, just past Spessard Holland South Park, say they’ve been asking for change since 2022 and reached out to FOX 35 for help because they are tired of watching people die on the road.
They say all the intersections in a small congested area are a big issue. There are two ways to get to the gas station, and we counted eight driveways to nearby neighborhoods.
"It’s tragic. I was standing on the other side of the hedge when I heard the motorcycle, the accident," said Roy Flournoy, who lives just off A1A.
FHP says the motorcycle driver ran into a truck parked in the middle of the road. Officials are still investigating the crash.
Neighbors say vehicles are always stopped like that because there are so many intersections.
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"You’re constantly hearing tires screeching, coming in and out as well," said Jose, who worries about his son, who has a bus stop on the busy stretch of A1A.
People in the area have been documenting accidents for years. They shared pictures of other crashes with FOX 35 News, including a busted-up Mustang and a truck in a tree.
"My emails go back to March of 2022, and I have not seen change," Flournoy said.
The big change they’d like to see is lower speeds. It’s 40 miles per hour on this stretch of A1A right now.
"More people are going to die… to avoid more fatalities, it should be reduced to 25 miles per hour," added Paul Caimi, who also lives near the busy intersection.
They also say they want more traffic enforcement and maybe even a stop light, so they can stop seeing tragedies from their front door.
"Every time we cross the street to go for a walk, we’re risking our lives," concluded Patti Wightman.
Matthew Richardson, Communications Manager for the Florida Department of Transportation District Five, says the agency is looking into the issue. In a statement sent to FOX 35, he says:
"A member of the public shared their concerns about the section of State Road (S.R.) A1A near 2590 South Highway A1A in Melbourne, which prompted a review of the area in 2023. The review found the posted speed limit to be appropriate, with no operational issues observed within the 40-mph speed zone and no crashes over a 5-year period related to speed. However, due to the recent crash, the Department will review the contributing cause and need for any corrective action. We will also request staff review the need for any signage changes within the area."
Richardson goes on to say in the statement:
"When a request comes in, the Traffic Operations team will determine what is needed, which could include a crash review, searching for previous studies or traffic counts, evaluating the surrounding roadway network to estimate the amount of traffic, and looking for any current or future projects already planned in the area. This analysis helps the Department determine the likelihood of a signal being warranted or the need to look at any other improvements in the area, such as lowering the speed limit, additional signage, or signalized crosswalks."
FOX 35 saw FDOT trucks surveying the road on Thursday.