Main Street Springfield: 'We don't want no more families to get hurt'

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - Cynthia Rodriguez lost a friend last week.

"I still can't believe it," said Rodriguez

And now she wants to see change. A whole crowd of Sherry Varo's friends showed up at the meeting to show their support for a safer Main Street.

"We need more lights on that street," said Rodriguez.

Officials from the Oregon Department of Transportation asked the city council for their support in a pedestrian safety study. KVAL

News asked Lane County Area Manager Sonny Chickering what support means. He said it's not money and not extra staffing.

"It's important to me that the council understood that it's going to take compromise by all sides in this if we're going to make it work," said Chickering.

One by one councilors jumped on board, suggesting better lights, a reduced speed limit, and urgency, asking ODOT to speed up the process as much as they can.

It was a sentiment echoed by the friends Sherry Varo left behind.

"I hope they can change it so this won't happen again because we don't want no more families to get hurt," said Rodriguez.

Initially the project was expected to start in the next few months and finished in an additional six months. But after Monday's input, Chickering said that could all happen much sooner.