Thirteen-year-old Scottie Wright is remembered with a ghost bike in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. It was placed at the southeast corner of Routes 5 and 102, also known as North Main Street and Victory Highway respectively, where he was struck by a vehicle and sustained fatal injuries.
The all white painted bicycle is secured to a wood utility pole beside a landscaped garden. Colorful artificial flowers stretch across the handlebars. A dimensional wood "S" is attached to the frame at the derailleur with handwritten text winding down its face: "Jan 7, 1997 - Nov. 3, 2010 - NEVER FORGOTTEN" with small hearts drawn at the dashes. A portrait of Scott is stenciled in white paint on a piece of screen mesh attached to the front wheel.
Scott Wright
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Age: 13
Location:
intersection of Routes 102 (Victory Highway) & 5 (North Main)
North Smithfield, RI
United States
Scott was riding his bike in a crosswalk at the heavily traveled intersection of Routes 102 (Victory Highway) and 5 (North Main Street) when he was hit by an impatient driver who drove her minivan around a truck which had stopped to let Scott pass. He later died in the hospital. According to this article, he was almost home when he was struck. The driver of the van was not charged. His family released this statement:
"Everything about Scott was big - his height, his smile, his eyes, his laugh, and his feet. In fact, the only thing bigger than his feet was his heart. But, on the inside, he was always a child at heart. He took great joy in the simple things in life - spending time outdoors, being with friends, making everyone around him laugh and spending time with his family. He will be missed by so many, but his infectious smile, joy for life and heart full of love will always remain with us."
Over 100 people attended his memorial the next week.
Many have urged changes to this dangerous intersection since Scott's death.
Some safety measures finally happened in 2012 according to this article:
"At 'Ghost Bike' crossing, pedestrians will be able to stop traffic 4 ways - Ghost bike placed in memory of Scott Wright at the intersection of Victory Highway and North Main St. in North Smithfield"
By JO C. GOODE, Valley Breeze Correspondent
NORTH SMITHFIELD - The Department of Transportation is finalizing design plans for pedestrian-focused traffic signals at the intersection at North Main Street and Victory Highway, the site where a 13-year-old boy was struck and killed while riding his bicycle more than a year ago.
It is a project that town officials are eager to see completed.
"I saw four kids at that intersection tonight. It was scary. I can't get that done fast enough," said Town Councilor Edward Yazbak during last week's Town Council meeting.
In a telephone interview, Town Administrator Paulette Hamilton said she contacted DOT officials after North Smithfield Middle School student Scott Wright was killed.
On Nov. 3, 2010, the boy was attempting to cross the heavily traveled intersection at about 7 p.m. when he was hit by a minivan as he made his way through the crosswalk in front of Brigido's market.
He was later pronounced dead at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence.
Calling the incident "such a tragedy" that impacted the entire community, Hamilton said she sought DOT's help to beef up safety at the intersection.
DOT staff immediately responded, repainting a faded crosswalk and striping down North Main Street and along Mechanic Street almost to Uxbridge, Hamilton said.
In the past year DOT has been conducting a traffic safety study.
Construction at the intersection should start by summer and be completed before the end of the year, according to information provided by DOT spokesperson Heidi Gudmundson.
The state agency plans include reprogramming the traffic signals so that all traffic is stopped when a pedestrian crosses at the intersection.
Digital timers will also be installed so that pedestrians know how long they have to cross the roadway before a green light signals vehicles to proceed.
Hamilton said DOT officials have expedited all the town's requests to make the intersection safer for pedestrians and bike riders.
"I can't say enough of how they've handled this," Hamilton said.
As a reminder of the tragedy, a white painted bicycle stands chained to a street sign marking the location of the fatal accident.
Visible to drivers, the memorial is known as a Ghost Bike and serves to promote cyclist safety, according to the website GhostBikes.org. Currently there are 490 such memorials in 180 locations around the world.