A petition is being circulated to improve pedestrian safety on Dacey Road after a 91-year-old man was fatally struck by a vehicle last weekend while he was crossing the road.
Members of his family have identified Babubhai Patel, 91, as the pedestrian who was killed in the collision on Saturday evening.
His son, Nilesh Patel, said by phone that his father lived in the Sault for the past 25 years.
"At 91 he walked every day for 20 or 30 minutes," said Nilesh.
His father was well known to people in the neighbourhood and would often be seen out and about using a set of walking canes.
"I told him to use a walker, but he said, 'I am comfortable with the two canes.'"
Nilesh said he would like to see additional safety measures put in place in the area where his father was killed to increase pedestrian safety.
"Our main concern is there is no crosswalk to cross the road on Dacey Road from start to end and there are a lot of apartments and a lot of people crossing. There should be one or two crossings, at least," said Nilesh.
On Sunday, Sault Police said in a news release that Traffic Services is continuing its investigation and no charges had been laid at the time.
Sault Police did not immediately respond to a request on Monday for an update on the investigation.
Talon Beharriell lives in the area and saw Babubhai at the Circle K convenience store shortly before the collision.
He didn't know Babubhai by name, but the two would exchange hellos when they passed each other. On the night of the collision, Beharriell held the door open for Babubhai to enter the store.
"We would see him walking pretty much every day," said Beharriell.
When Beharriell heard about the pedestrian collision later that evening, he feared the worst.
"I just wish there was a safer way for children and other pedestrians to cross the road safely," he said.
In response to the collision, Beharriell has drafted a petition with hopes of increasing pedestrian safety in the area. As of this morning, it has been signed by almost 350 people.
"The goal of the petition is to have additional signage updated for the school zone signs, a pedestrian crosswalk installed or painted and any other kind of infrastructure to just allow pedestrians to cross the street safely from Dacey Road to Chambers Avenue," said Beharriell.
He said once enough signatures have been collected the petition will be presented to city council with the hopes it will act.