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Pedestrians playing Frogger on Lakeland road

Posted at 1:59 PM, Jun 03, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-03 17:28:58-04

A real-life version of the video game Frogger is taking place on a busy road in Lakeland.

Since 2012, FDOT has reported more than 40 accidents involving pedestrians or bicyclists on a one-mile long stretch of Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland.

The problem, the agency reports, is pedestrians are crossing wherever they please instead of at designated crosswalks, which are few and far between.

In a traffic study at one busy intersection, FDOT counted 100 people crossed Memorial Boulevard where there is not a cross walk.

"You better pay attention crossing that road," said Robert Clark, who crosses at least five times a day. "The problem is you either have to go way down there or way over there to cross... and no one will do that."

There has already been one deadly pedestrian accident this year.

FDOT representatives met with city commissioners Friday morning to discuss potential solutions that include adding more crosswalks and constructing a type of fencing that would force people to walk down to a crosswalk before crossing.

"The goal with the fencing is to try to guide people to where we prefer them to cross. which is the traffic lights and the official pedestrian crossing," said David Wheeler, Traffic Engineer for FDOT.

The city will consider more public input before reaching a decision.