ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- After a deadly bicycle crash in St. Augustine last month, there is a renewed push for a traffic light at a particular intersection; Red Cox Drive and Anastasia Boulevard (also A1A).
First Coast News learned the City of St. Augustine has asked for a traffic light there before, but the Florida Department of Transportation denied the request.
Tory Strange owns The Surf Station on A1A, also known as Anastasia Boulevard, in St. Augustine.
"I've seen crashes out here," he said.
He can see the intersection of Red Cox Drive and Anastasia from his shop. At and near that intersection, people have been hurt and died over the years in crashes. In October, when a bicyclist and a car crashed there, the cyclist died. The St. Augustine Police Department says the crash is still under investigation and could not comment on the case.
After that crash, a decade-long debate was sparked again regarding a traffic light at this intersection.
According to a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation and to a city staff member, the DOT did a study in 2017, and determined the site did not meet any of the criteria for a traffic light. Some people -- like Strange -- agree.
"In my opinion, it doesn't need a light," Strange said. "As a general ule, the person in the accident is speeding or gong the wrong way or does something to cause the accident."
"I don't think it needs a traffic light," Jerry Morgan said. He has Nalu's food truck and can see the intersection from his place as well.
"Definitely I've seen some accidents here over the years," he added. "Mostly I think it's people needing to pay attention."
The city wants the Florida Department of Transportation to reconsider putting a light at Red Cox Drive and A1A.
Rueben Franklin, the city's Mobility Program Manager, said many things converge by this intersection, so there may be a need for a traffic light. He noted the skate park, a nearby elementary school, a state park, two neighborhoods, and the Alligator Farm.
Franklin told First Coast News the city plans to "reengage" with the DOT about the traffic light request.
The Florida Department of Transportation says in three years, from 2014 through 2016, there were 18 non-fatal crashes at that intersection. D-O-T also told First Coast News it doing another safety study in that area.
The Florida Highway Patrol's numbers indicate 40 crashes at the intersection from January 1, 2009 - November 1, 2018.
For now, Strange says says he's interested to see how a light plan would be laid out. But regardless of who's at fault, deadly crashes are always sad.
"Oh, it's so sad. You hate to see any loss of life. Yes, its very sad,"