Cumberland teen trying to make streets safer after deadly crash
By Bianca Buono
bbuono@abc6.com
@BBuonoABC6
A Cumberland teen is pushing for change after his friend was killed two months ago in a hit and run accident. He’s trying to make the streets of the town safer, including that road his friend was killed on.
The crash took the life of 18-year-old Carl John, or CJ, as he was heading down Bear Hill Road in Cumberland walking home from a late night shift at a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts.
"The past couple months have been difficult but I feel like when I have a struggle like this I can’t just sit and be sad I need to do something to make it better, to fix it so it doesn’t happen again,” said CJ’s friend Reece Franklin.
"The petition is essentially a petition demanding the town of Cumberland install sidewalks along the main roads down that way as well as along the area of the accident with heavily trafficked side roads,” said Franklin.
Cumberland Mayor Bill Murray was devastated when he learned of the deadly crash, but says sidewalks are not an option for several reasons, including money.
"The second issue to it is that because the town is an old farm town, they’re very narrow streets. We have more problem with streets because they’re so narrow,” Mayor Murray said.
Murray says he’s analyzing several streets in town, including Bear Hill Road, to come up with an alternative plan; but Franklin is refusing to take no for an answer.
"What we need are sidewalks so pedestrians can walk safely,” he said.
Murray says he plans to set up a meeting with Franklin to discuss the matter in person.
© WLNE-TV 2016
