FLAGLER ESTATES, Fla. — Neighbors in Flagler Estates want more streetlights in their rural community.
It comes after 14-year-old Maslin Mooney was hit while walking to the bus stop on Palatka Boulevard on Jan. 9. He is still recovering in the hospital and only Action News Jax spoke with Mooney’s parents.
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“It’s just really unfortunate that he has to walk down this really, really dark road at six in the morning with no streetlights or sidewalks,” said Thomas Mooney. “It was just inevitable, in my opinion.”
The Flagler Estates Community Redevelopment Area has fought for years to get additional streetlights installed.
Shirley Lassiter is the secretary of the Flagler Estates CRA, and she said they’ve had a plan in place to add 40 more streetlights. One of those lights was planned for the corner of Carpenter Avenue and Palatka Boulevard. That intersection is near where the hit-and-run happened.
They are looking at a cost of $7,200 for the installation.
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And Lassiter said those funds were already approved through the St. Johns County Community Redevelopment Agency.
While they are still waiting for the Flagler Estates Road and Water Control District to sign off on this plan, Shirley said it is not going to be the only piece for their kids to stay safe.
“We are going to need people to pay attention,” said Lassiter. “We are going to need them to obey the speed limits, to be aware that we do have young children out here.”
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