Community reacts to UMKC student death. ‘It was heartbreaking’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People who live in the Troostwood neighborhood say that speed is the main problem on the nearby stretch of Troost Ave.
On Thursday, Yuxi Wu, a UMKC conservatory student, was on a scooter crossing the street near 51st and Troost when she was struck and killed by a car speeding through the intersection.
Neighbors are asking for additional safety measures at 51st and Troost.
"It's simple, a traffic light that can go there, that will respond quickly when a person pushes the button," said Alfredo Garcia, president of the Troostwood Neighborhood Association.
While working on this story, a FOX4 crew witnessed multiple cars that failed to stop when the pedestrian crossing lights were on.
Garcia said the neighborhood has pushed for a traffic light to be installed for a while as walking is popular in the area, especially for the many UMKC students who live nearby.
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"We hear about this a lot. We have car crashes constantly happening here, and we have a lot of folks who have had near misses," Garcia explained.
"So, on our neighborhood Facebook page, someone posted about this incident, and someone said, actually, when my child and I were crossing, we had a near miss. Then more people started commenting yes, I've had similar issues. So when we heard about it, we were devastated, and we just thought not again."
Sean Ackerson, the District Manager for the Troost Avenue Community Improvement District, said it was heartbreaking to learn that Yuxi Wu was struck and killed near 51st and Troost; an area where the CID wants to see additional safety measures.
"I didn't know the student, but no matter who that was, it's a tragedy. Unfortunately, that's not the first accident we've had happen on Troost," Ackerson said.
"It's a fast four-lane cross-section. It's hard for pedestrians to cross. There are some challenges with visibility. We see a lot of car accidents. It was heartbreaking, but at the same time, it wasn't a surprise."
On Thursday, the Troost Avenue CID learned that funding was approved for a study to determine how to make the roadway safer for drivers and pedestrians.
"This is not just a top priority for the Troost Avenue District, but this is critical and important for UMKC and Rockhurst. They've wanted to see changes for years, and they are working in tandem with all of us," Ackerson explained.
"It's also a priority for the city, and we are happy to see this moving forward, and we are all going to work together to improve this."
In a Facebook post , the Troost Avenue District said: "Our condolences to Yuxi Wu's family and friends and everyone at UMKC. This is a dangerous intersection, and it's heartbreaking that a life was lost there this week.
City funds were approved to study changes needed to reduce traffic speeds and improve vehicular and pedestrian safety. This week, we learned that the study is moving forward this fall.
We look forward to working with Kansas City and other community leaders to ensure that traffic speeds are reduced and intersections and pedestrian crossings are improved as soon as possible so that tragedies like this aren't as likely in the future."
In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for UMKC said, "On Thursday, one of our UMKC Conservatory students, Yuxi Wu, died in a traffic accident on Troost Avenue, east of the Volker campus. Yuxi was in the first semester of her studies toward a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance. We are devastated by this tragic loss, and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. We are providing counseling services to students, faculty, and staff during this difficult time for our campus community."
