SACRAMENTO-

Community leaders fulfilled their promise made seven months ago to complete a traffic light at Fruitridge Road and 58th Street, where 16 year-old Michelle Murigi was killed just over two years ago while trying to cross the street.

City Council member Kevin McCarty and Michelle’s mother, Mary Murigi, lead a procession of community leaders, neighbors and West Campus High School students the 300 yards from the campus to the intersection to throw a symbolic switch activating the traffic lights and cross walk.

“Thank God we have the lights.  It’s a great feeling that no other child will be hit at this spot, ” said Murigi after making the first crossing.

Michelle’s good friend Siena Antolin was community oriented and helped mentor kids at the neighboring elementary school.  Antolin was instrumental in student efforts to get the light installed. She did research and gathered accident data on the intersection and helped secure funding sources.  She said Michelle’s death is all the more tragic because the two discussed trying to put a light at the intersection where she was eventually killed.

“There were a lot of accidents so we both knew it was dangerous so I think she would have seen her idea put to good use,” said Antolin.

Council member McCarty said there are dozens of intersections that need the same treatment but this one became a priority.  A key contribution came from the Sacramento City Unified School District which came up with half the $400 thousand cost of the light.

“We really didn’t have all the money so we came up with half and the school district came up with half and we made a go of it and now kids can cross that street safely,” said McCarty.

During the street light campaign the family of  Steven Land came forward to say the 15 year-old was also killed at the intersection 50 years ago.  His family was at the dedication and said it did not come too late.

“It’s still wonderful, it can still help and I hope it does,” said Steven’s mother Barbara Land.