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South Philadelphia Residents Demanding Safety Changes After Elderly Woman Fatally Struck By Car

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Residents in South Philadelphia are demanding safety changes on Washington Avenue, after the death of a pedestrian there.

About a dozen people demonstrated at 24th Street and Washington Avenue on Tuesday morning, calling for safety improvements after an 83-year-old woman was struck and killed there on Friday. Resident Kathy Knese says drivers are ignoring the law.

"There's double-parking that shouldn't be. People parking in the bike lanes that shouldn't be. People speeding through lights," she said.

Washington is two lanes east and westbound with a center median, and demonstrator Julia Rowe says there isn't time to safely cross.

"This is a wide intersection. It gives you 11 seconds to get across that street. If you're not able-bodied or you have small children with you, you need more than 11 seconds to get across this street," said Rowe.

Demonstrators acknowledge the industrial businesses in the congested area need truck access, but they say it shouldn't be at the price of safety.

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