ROSWELL, Ga. — The roads in the Willow Springs community in Roswell have painted lines on each side for people to walk and bike.
However, some people said they need more and want sidewalks in hopes of making the neighborhood safer as traffic increases.
The push for safety was heightened after a hit-and-run in April 2023 that left two women in their 70s with serious injuries.
The president of the HOA, Bob Evers, told 11Alive both women are still in wheelchairs.
“We want the city to do the right thing and just get out of the way and enable sidewalks, said Evers as he stood across from where the women were hit.
One of the women who was injured, Angela Sheaffer, sent the following statement to 11Alive:
“I also know that we were struck with full force, so we clearly didn’t see it coming. Our impact dented the windshield, broke the passenger headlight leaving pieces of it in the street, and broke off the side mirror. My friend and I are lucky to be alive. It will be several months before we may be able to walk again, let alone be in the physical condition we were at the time of the accident. There are physical scars and changes that will never heal.”
Evers said they have been trying for years to get the city to put in sidewalks.
“Unfortunately, there is blood on their hands now because we warned them this was going to happen,” Evers said.
Evers sent 11Alive Ring doorbell footage of the accident before pointing out right where it happened.
“They were like snowplowed, up in the air, both hit the windshield and then rolled over,” Evers said. “And they landed right on the curb right there.”
Evers said they proposed and designed a sidewalk that runs on the interior side of the 3.5-mile loop in the neighborhood that he said gets a lot of traffic due to people using it as a cut through.
He explained they did a survey of the neighborhood and said a majority of people agreed they would pay for the sidewalk.
11Alive’s Molly Oak spoke with Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson on Thursday about the neighborhood’s concerns. He said there have been a lot of conversations about sidewalks in the community and said the city did a trial with the four-foot striped lanes on both sides of the street.
“It really is a HOA (issue). It’s a neighborhood issue. The city is not in the business of putting sidewalks in private neighborhoods throughout the city,” the mayor said. “I will tell you though we’ll support it and will do anything to facilitate it.”
The mayor said if the community is willing to pay for the sidewalks, then the city will back them.
“I’d say if they have the money to pay for the sidewalks in, they should get the sidewalks done,” Wilson said. “100% the city will support that all day long.”
Evers said they plan to meet with the city on Monday to further voice their concerns.
As for the driver of the car, police arrested and charged the 17-year-old.
Police said the investigation is now in the hands of the Fulton County District Attorney for prosecution.