On Sunday, Nov. 16, Complete Streets at Pitt hosted a vigil for a pedestrian who was recently killed by a vehicle in Oakland.

71-year-old Bobby Paige was struck by a vehicle on Oct. 28 while using the crosswalk of Forbes and Oakland Avenues and passed the following day. Complete Streets at Pitt honored Paige and others killed by vehicles in Oakland at the vigil. Nov. 16 is also World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. 

Lauren Troy, a sophomore majoring in applied mathematics and member of CSAP, described Paige as an active member in the McKeesport and Pittsburgh communities. 

According to Troy, Paige was a veteran who served in the Vietnam War, a barber in both Denver and Pittsburgh and an employee at the VA Pittsburgh Medical Center. He loved to fish and was an active member and usher at the Bethlehem Baptist Church in McKeesport, where he met his wife in 2017. 

“Bobby was committed to service throughout his life, serving his country, community, church and family, and in death, he continued to do the same,” Troy said. “As a registered organ donor, he was able to extend someone else’s life after his passing.” 

The vigil also honored Jessie Maroney, Emily Watson, Mary Flaherty and Barbara Como — other pedestrians killed in vehicle accidents in Oakland since 2020.

According to Troy, CSAP hosted this event because more needs to be done to protect pedestrians from traffic fatalities — especially since not even a year ago, another vigil was held for 37-year-old Jessie Maroney, who was struck and killed on Terrace Street.

“We stand here today, unfortunately, because more needs to be done to protect our community,” Troy said. “It’s not acceptable to lose a life to traffic violence every year in Oakland. We must stop this trend.”

Andrew Nawn, a sophomore civil engineering student and member of CSAP, described this recent event as feeling “a little more real” because of its location. 

“While the events that occurred on Terrace Street affected many people, the fatality on Forbes is a bit easier to understand for students,” Nawn said. “Every student on Pitt’s campus uses Forbes Avenue almost every single day.” 

Although the City has implemented new safety measures on Terrace Street since Maroney’s death, Nawn said the drivers still need to do their part. The new measures include making traffic signals “stop and go,” banning right turns on red, repainting curb and pavement markings in no-parking areas and crosswalks and improving the lighting in the area. 

“We’ve seen great infrastructure improvements on Terrace Street to prevent future incidents up there,” Nawn said. “While we need more infrastructure upgrades throughout the rest of Oakland, we also need to see a greater vigilance by drivers when operating vehicles in highly trafficked areas.”

Sameer Rahman, a junior majoring in bioengineering and a member of CSAP, also said infrastructure improvements and pedestrian and driver awareness are needed to make the streets safer. 

“I know everyone who has crossed [the street] in Oakland [has] had their own close calls,” Rahman said. “There has to be greater visibility, greater awareness for drivers and also for pedestrians who walk from all directions to see if a car is going to come towards them or not.”

Courtney Thompkins created QCares, an organization that provides resources for people impacted by traffic violence, after her daughter Quanisha LaShay Ball was killed in a traffic collision.

“We started the foundation to connect with families, to help them be able to have resources and support, because there’s no support or resources [in Pittsburgh],” Thompkins said. 

Thompkins said there will also be a memorial and walk in McKeesport to honor traffic victims on Nov. 17. Although Thompkins did not know Paige, she said having these memorials helps people understand the severity of traffic violence. 

“When we have these vigils, we’re able to know who Bobby is and show that his life was valuable,” Thompkins said. 

Rahman said the impact of traffic violence extends beyond the numbers that appear in reports because the victims of traffic violence are “more than just statistics.”

“They are people who have a story — a story that ought to be heard, a story that ought to be shared, a story that ought to be remembered and a story that warrants action,” Rahman said.