KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
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As people drive along Blue Ridge Boulevard in Raytown from Gregory to 75th Street, they will see some additional safety measures.
First, the city installed flashing speed signs so drivers know when they are exceeding the 35 mph speed limit.
When KSHB 41 News filmed this story, we saw several people speeding, according to the sign.
Then on Monday, the city milled the double yellow line and added more than 430 meters of rumble strips to warn drivers when they enter oncoming traffic.
The city will now re-mark the road to make the lines more visible.
These improvements come after the Brown family lost two loved ones last year and called on the city to make a change.
According to previous reports, 35-year-old Crystle Brown was driving her 18-year-old daughter Zeraieh Bland to one of her final days of high school on May 11, 2023.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Brown crossed the center line as he was traveling north on Blue Ridge Boulevard and entering the curve at East 72nd Street.
An oncoming vehicle collided with Brown’s vehicle and pushed it into a nearby ditch. Crystle and Zeraieh died at the scene.
Her family believes certain factors could have prevented this accident, so they have taken it upon themselves to urge neighbors and city officials to work toward improvements.
“Crystle’s mom, Zeraieh’s grandma, called the city, talked to the police and advocated for really, really, really tough measures,” said Charles Brown, Crystle’s older brother. “And when I say tough, I probably mean tough every other day. But I think these patrols are going to save a lot of lives.”
Raytown Police Captain Jared Rogers was one of the first to arrive at the scene of Crystle and Zeraieh’s accident.
As a father, he said it was hard for him to find out that Zeraieh would be the first in her family to go to college.
Since then, he has stayed in touch with the family and supported them in the local memorial ceremonies.
Rogers said he was aware of several incidents on that stretch of Blue Ridge Boulevard during his time with the Raytown Police Department.
“Over the last 22 years, we’ve seen everything from fatal accidents to fender bender and, a little further south, someone drove off a sweeping curve and into a stranger’s house,” he said.
Now the Brown family has placed the fruits of their labor in the middle of the road to remind drivers to slow down and pay attention.
There is a memorial on the side to remind her and others to always say “I love you” before getting behind the wheel.
“Their lives mean so much and we can use their lives to save lives,” Brown said.
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