Bozeman, MT — More than three months have passed since the tragic death of Lynette Joy Johnson, who was killed while walking her dog along South 3rd Street in early September. The investigation into the fatal crash continues as Bozeman Police await toxicology reports, but in the meantime, residents in the area are raising their voices for improved pedestrian safety.
Johnson, 60, was struck by a driver while walking along the busy stretch of road, and since the incident, many in the community have expressed growing concern over the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in the area. While authorities work to gather more details, those living near the scene are left with a sense of unease.
Phillip Williams, a long-time resident of South Bozeman, has seen traffic patterns change over the years. He regularly bikes to work, and says that the increase in both traffic speed and volume has made commuting increasingly dangerous.
“Traffic has been getting faster, and people sometimes drive way over the speed limit,” Williams said. “It makes you nervous every time you ride or walk around here. Most of the time, I commute to work on a bicycle, and I’ve been scared many times by drivers.”
Williams expressed concern not only for himself but for his neighbors, many of whom have young children. The area around South 3rd Street is home to several families, and Williams worries about their safety as well. He believes it is only a matter of time before another incident happens if steps aren’t taken to slow down traffic.
“We do have a lot of families with small children,” Williams said. “It’s hard to feel safe when the cars are going so fast.”
Johnson’s death has prompted many in the neighborhood to call for action. Residents like Williams are urging the city to implement stronger traffic safety measures, including speed bumps or other forms of traffic calming. Despite these concerns, the city has not yet introduced any new measures on South 3rd Street.
“There aren’t speed bumps, and I often wish there were, because I don’t really see what other possibility there is for slowing down the traffic,” Williams said.
Pedestrian safety has been an ongoing issue in Bozeman as the city’s population continues to grow, bringing with it increased traffic on already narrow streets. While Johnson’s tragic death has drawn attention to the problem, many feel that it shouldn’t take a tragedy for the city to prioritize pedestrian infrastructure.
Bozeman Police have not released further details on the crash, as they await the results of toxicology reports. Authorities have yet to identify the driver involved in the incident. While the investigation continues, the lack of immediate action to improve safety measures on South 3rd Street has left many residents frustrated and concerned about future accidents.
Local officials have yet to respond to calls for speed bumps or other pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, but the tragic event has sparked a conversation that residents hope will lead to meaningful change.
As the community continues to grieve, many are hopeful that the conversation about traffic safety will not fade away with time. For now, residents like Williams remain on edge, uncertain about what steps will be taken to prevent another heartbreaking incident on the streets of South Bozeman.
