OAK RIDGE, N.C. — The Oak Ridge community gathered during a town hall meeting Thursday searching for solutions to enhance safety measures in a neighborhood.
An accident on Haw River Road claimed the lives of two children, three years apart and less than a half-mile away both on Halloween night.
Noah Chambers' mother spoke to the town council, desperate to make sure this never happens again.
Several other parents joined the effort and WFMY News 2's Grace Holland was there to listen in on the discussion.
This really is the beginning of the conversation of how to improve safety there.
Oak Ridge's mayor invited Noah Chambers' mom Brooke Tilley to speak tonight.
She shared her ideas with friends and neighbors.
“Number one I would love to see lighting come up. Also, with the speed limit being 45 mph, a reduction to 35 would be a lot better, Tilley said.
Tilley's son was hit by a car while crossing the street during a trunk-or-treat event. He died days later.
“At the place where the church is, where Noah was hit, I believe there should be a yellow flashing crosswalk because the church encompasses both sides of Haw River Road,” Danny O’Connor, Arbor Run HOA Vice President said.
O'Connor also talked about the need to extend sidewalks. He said his neighborhood has one that if extended, would reach to the area where 14-year-old Aliyah Thornhill was hit and killed Monday night.
Tilley said Thursday that the state trooper who responded to Chambers' accident is now helping her come up with safety solutions.
“There's just a lot of ideas and they're still coming. It's been a cloudy few days and I hope we can all push together to make some light and some changes happen,” Tilley said.
Another suggestion was to add stop signs along the roadway.
Town council members made clear, it's not all up to them.
The state maintains Haw River Road. Oak Ridge mayor Ann Scheider said she's talking to the state and neighboring Stokesdale about what they can do to improve safety.
The mayor said the city was already adding sidewalks downtown and will expand that work.
“There may be other ways to tackle it but it is very expensive. It is a priority though for this town to increase pedestrian and vehicle safety,” mayor Scheider explained.
The mayor said they'll meet with NCDOT about the next steps after the investigation is complete, which could take a few weeks.