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Wife of Pedestrian Killed on Elbow Dr. he wants lights for the pedestrian crossing

Wife of Pedestrian Killed on Elbow Dr. he wants lights for the pedestrian crossing

“He was my best friend, he was that one-in-a-million that I will never have again and I was so lucky to know him.”

These are the words of Stina Lindenblatt, who tragically lost her husband Ralph Lindenblatt on the night of November 27th.

The 56-year-old man was hit by two vehicles while crossing Elbow Drive in a marked crosswalk at 61 Avenue SW

“It was the night of my birthday,” Stina said. “We were going to celebrate the next day because our kids had activities that night, but we didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.”

Ralph had taken his daughter to the Chinook Center and was waiting to pick up his son from band practice.

Stina says she decided to go for a walk because she didn’t like sitting in malls.

While crossing Elbow Drive around 7:30 p.m., he was struck by a southbound Ford Escape.

The driver of the Ford Escape — an 80-year-old woman — stopped to help, but Ralph was hit a second time by a southbound Pontiac Vibe driven by a 70-year-old woman.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stina says her husband enjoyed hiking in the mountains, spending time with close friends and donating to several causes in his community that he cared deeply about.

Ralph Lindenblatt, 56, was struck and killed while crossing Elbow Drive SW on November 27, 2024. “Ralph was funny, amazingly supportive, quiet but always there for his family and friends. He was the best father to our three children and our entire support system.”

She echoes concerns raised by community members who say the intersection where Ralph was killed is problematic.

“My husband had a flashlight with him to let others know he was crossing, but that wasn’t enough,” Stina said.

“If there had been flashing lights there I would have hoped that the woman would have stopped for him and then he would have got through safely.”

Petition for flashing lights

The Meadowlark Park Community Association has launched an online petition requesting that flashing lights be installed at the crosswalk at Elbow Drive and 61 Avenue.

Community spokeswoman Amanda Lovig Hagg says the call to action has now garnered more than 300 signatures within a week.

She notes that Elbow Drive’s four lanes of heavy traffic make it a hazard for pedestrians during the morning and evening rush hours, when there is less visibility for drivers.

A few days ago, a motorcyclist was also killed at the exact spot.

“I’ve seen so many near misses here and there have been very serious accidents, it’s dangerous in the dark and so many cars speeding here and not following the limit,” said Lovig Hagg.

“We got a lot of complaints and anecdotal comments and stories from people who sent change requests here. It’s been top of mind for years, but our adviser, Kourtney Penner, just put it aside.”

Calgary is conducting a mobility study

Section 11 con. Kourtney Penner, who represents Meadowlark Park, confirmed to CTV News that the city will commission a mobility study in the coming weeks for the intersection of Elbow Drive and 61 Avenue SW.

She said a full review is protocol any time there’s a fatal incident, but noted this isn’t the first time city workers have studied this intersection.

“There was a study done not too long ago in 2018 from some of the complaints back then, and the number of pedestrians didn’t justify traffic lights at that time, and the incident reporting didn’t justify it then either,” she said.

“Even at our office, we’ve had two emails over the course of three years, and the 311 data doesn’t show a lot of reports, all of those things are taken into account when we look at intersection safety.

Calgary police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing Elbow Drive SW on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. Penner estimates that the average cost of flashing lights is about $80,000, while the cost for a complete set of traffic lights can be anywhere from $300,000 to $350,000.

“I can tell you, in the evening, it’s a well-lit intersection, the light standards are right up there, almost at the intersection,” Penner said.

“So it’s a long intersection and that doesn’t mean we’re not going to do anything, we just have to match the investment with the volumes that are there.”

However, this answer is not what people like Stina were hoping to hear.

“If they had those lights, this wouldn’t have happened,” she said.

“Those lights won’t bring my husband back, but if he had been there, I wouldn’t have lost him.”

“He’s a human being, he’s not a statistic. I hope the city council and those people never have to go through what I did, including the witnesses, the people who were actually involved in the accident, all our lives were changed forever. . It’s not a number, it’s humanity.”