Town, FDOT to talk crosswalks

The fatal pedestrian crash that occurred in January on Gulf of Mexico Drive was tragic, but also rare: It was the first fatality to occur on the 12-mile stretch since April 2005.

But the death of Jo Schatterman, 73, who was struck by a sport utility vehicle Jan. 27 around the 2200 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive and died at the scene, has reignited a discussion about improving the road’s safety for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Florida Department of Transportation representatives will attend the 2 p.m. Thursday, June 21 Longboat Key Town Commission workshop to discuss with town officials the feasibility of installing additional crosswalks on Gulf of Mexico Drive, along with other options for improving safety.

Currently, Gulf of Mexico Drive has just two officially designated crosswalks, located in the 200 block near Longboat Club Road and at the traffic-signal intersection with Bay Isles Parkway, near Publix and CVS, in addition to a pedestrian-crossing tunnel in the 2100 block that was built by Arvida. The Bay Isles crosswalk is approximately a half-mile away from the location where Schatterman was struck.

Sarasota police determined that the crash occurred just after dusk, when Schatterman and her sister, Myra Sandler, returned on a trolley from St. Armands Circle. They attempted to cross the road but, because of heavy traffic, waited until the left side of the road was clear, then walked into the middle lane and waited until they thought they could cross the rest of the road. Schatterman was struck by an SUV driven by Petar Sibinkic, of Sarasota. A witness told police that the area was “very dark” at the time of the crash.

Police determined Schatterman to be at fault for stepping into the path of the vehicle; Sibinkic was not charged in the crash.

The town received a notice in March from attorney Gregg Silverstein stating that the victim’s husband, Thomas Schatterman, intended to seek damages for negligence against the town, Sarasota County and Florida Department of Transportation. The notice alleged that the area where Schatterman was struck was poorly lighted and had no crosswalk despite having a bus stop on the east side of the road.

Still, it appears unlikely that placing crosswalks at each bus stop would be a possibility.

In a May 8 memorandum about the upcoming workshop discussion, Public Works Director Juan Florensa wrote that it makes sense to install crosswalks at or near bus stops, but added a point for consideration:
“ … there are 46 bus stops along the northbound lanes of Gulf of Mexico Drive and 43 southbound. How many of these locations could be marked as crosswalks? Additionally, there are other pedestrian crossing generators throughout the town, such as beach accesses and tourism resorts whose facilities are located on both sides of Gulf of Mexico Drive.”

FDOT owns and holds jurisdiction over Gulf of Mexico Drive and would have to agree to the installation of crosswalks or other changes to the road.

An April 30 status report from Gallagher Bassett Services Inc., which handles the town’s claims, described the town’s liability in the crash as “doubtful.”

According to the report, the town isn’t responsible for lighting or crosswalks in the area and doesn’t run the bus/trolley system. Sarasota and Manatee counties operate the trolley system that Schatterman used just before the fatal crash.

Silverstein told the Longboat Observer that his investigation of the case is ongoing and that he hasn’t decided whether to pursue damages against the town. Florida statutes require six months’ notice before filing a claim for wrongful death, meaning that September is the earliest point at which a suit could be filed.

The statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death suit is two years.