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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Pedestrians cross Southwest 62nd Street on Wednesday afternoon. Gainesville Police issued more than 120 traffic citations near the crosswalk during the past two days, a majority of which went to drivers.</p>

Pedestrians cross Southwest 62nd Street on Wednesday afternoon. Gainesville Police issued more than 120 traffic citations near the crosswalk during the past two days, a majority of which went to drivers.

The Gainesville Police Department and the City of Gainesville created a program to reduce traffic accidents on Southwest 62nd Street.

The Pedestrian High Visibility Enforcement Program aims to reduce the number of incidents between pedestrians and cars in the area, said GPD Spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.

Since the program’s creation last week, GPD officers have issued more than 120 traffic citations, mostly to drivers who did not yield to pedestrians crossing Southwest 62nd Street near Southwest 20th Avenue, Tobias said.

The detail was funded by the Florida Department of Transportation.

It started Friday with an undercover officer monitoring a crosswalk near the Woodlands of Gainesville apartments, he said.

“We have identified a problem with drivers not paying attention specifically with this crosswalk,” he said.

If a car did not stop for the officer, he told additional uniformed officers in the area about the traffic violation via radio.

According to Florida Law, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians as they cross the street.

Thirty traffic accidents have been reported in the Southwest 62nd Street area since Aug. 1, Tobias said.

Earlier this month, Gainesville Police received reports of two traffic accidents on the same day, both involving pedestrians, he added.

Tobias said that the detail will happen at random twice a month, but he didn’t say for how long.

“There are no warnings given during these operations,” he said.

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Residents of the Woodlands and The District on 62nd apartment complexes cross the street daily to and from nearby bus stops.

Ashley Lewis, a 22-year-old UF psychology senior, said a car once clipped her foot and sped off while she crossed the street.

“I thought he saw me,” she said. “Then I realized he wasn’t stopping.”

Emily Buchanan, a 21-year-old UF journalism junior, said she believes most drivers don’t stop because of the road’s set up.

Buchanan said she felt safer crossing the street with police present.

“Normally, I hesitate,” she said. “But I didn’t even have to, because cars were already stopping.”

Tobias said the detail will continue to change driving habits on the street and ensure drivers follow traffic laws.

“Our goal this year is zero traffic fatalities, and running details such as these will help us reach that goal,” Tobias said.

Pedestrians cross Southwest 62nd Street on Wednesday afternoon. Gainesville Police issued more than 120 traffic citations near the crosswalk during the past two days, a majority of which went to drivers.

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