Commissioner Cupid calls for safety audit of Veterans Memorial site where Edna Umeh was killed

Lisa Cupid answers questions from District 4 residents at a community meeting last year -- photo by Larry Felton Johnson

Cobb County District 4 Commissioner Lisa Cupid initiated a Corridor Safety audit for the site where crossing guard Edna Umeh, 64, of Austell was hit and killed by a driver on Thursday. The incident occurred in front of Lindley Middle School. The audit will be conducted by the Cobb County DOT.

Cupid wrote in an email to her constituents:

“I feel horrible and I hate the fact that it took something like this for all of the concerns about this stretch of highway to be taken seriously. This is not the first time these concerns have been raised; we’ve had a number of stakeholders to bring this to their attention with little or nothing done.”

Cobb DOT Director Jim Wilgus said that safety islands for pedestrians are one possible solution.

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Cupid wrote further in her email, “We certainly hope that in the meantime we can take some preventative measures with the county and the school district to keep students and others safe in the interim.

Cobb County Police Chief Michael Register stated that officers will focus traffic enforcement efforts in the area in the upcoming weeks, and will work and coordinate with the Board of Education and DOT staff to enhance traffic and pedestrian safety in the area. The Cobb Police STEP Unit is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the accident.”

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