Vigil calls for McKeesport safety upgrades

It will be held Monday morning at the intersection of Lysle Boulevard and Coursin Street.

By JENNIFER MCCALLA
McKeesport Community Newsroom

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims will be observed for the first time Monday in McKeesport with a vigil that pays tribute to the victims and calls for change at a notoriously dangerous local intersection.

The event, hosted by QCares Foundation, will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the grassy lot next to the Eat’n Park at Lysle Boulevard and Coursin Street.

“Connecting communities to create lasting, healthy relationships that keep all road users safe and enable them to walk, bike, and drive with a clear mindset that they can make it back home safely,” Courtney Thompkins said of her mission to increase pedestrian safety.

Thompkins, of McKeesport, formed the foundation in October 2024 in memory of her daughter, Quanisha LaShay Ball. A distracted driver in Atlanta, Ga., killed her in 2022.

The vigil will honor all victims of traffic violence, particularly the pedestrians killed and injured at this specific McKeesport intersection. Multiple collisions occurred here, including a fatal crash in 2017. Other pedestrian collisions there include a man in 2021, a woman in a wheelchair in 2022 and a 15-yearold boy in June 2025, according to Thompkins.

Following the vigil, QCares and BikePGH will host a short walk to highlight the intersection’s urgent safety failures.

“(The City of McKeesport) can’t do everything. It’s up to the public to help them. So that is what QCares is here for,” Thompkins said, “To work together.”

Thompkins noted that Lysle Boulevard presents multiple safety issues such as excessive vehicle speeds and walk signals that are confusing or ignored. She also believes that the crossing time is insufficient, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly or disabled and street lighting should be upgraded to improve visibility.

She often sees vehicles parked on crosswalks and debris covering the tactile walking surface indicators (TWSIs) intended to assist the visually impaired.

Thompkins fears this intersection could become more dangerous due to increased foot traffic spurred by major retailers, including Shop ‘n Save and a Dollar Tree scheduled to VIGIL •A5

“(The City of McKeesport) can’t do everything. It’s up to the public to help them. So that is what QCares is here for. To work together.”

COURTNEY THOMPKINS open soon. Major bus stops on both sides of Lysle Boulevard necessitate pedestrian safety improvements, including more signage for drivers, according to Thompkins The QCares Foundation hopes the community’s presence at the vigil will turn remembrance into advocating for immediate changes needed to save lives in McKeesport.

“We can’t wait for another loss of life to get things right,” Thompkins said. “What I’m hoping will happen after the event is that it will create unity with the public, with the leaders here in McKeesport, and then with the leaders in Pittsburgh.”