SAN ANTONIO – A week after a man was hit and killed crossing a street on San Antonio’s West Side, neighbors are calling on the city for help.
Orlando Vega, 41, died on Sept. 30 on South General McMullen near Weir Avenue.
In a written statement sent to KSAT, his sister, Martha Vega, remembered her brother for loving everyone and keeping a smile on his face. She said the crash that killed Orlando Vega could have been prevented.
“The gentleman stopped to render aid and was unsuccessful with CPR,” Martha Vega said. “It was stated that the road was too dark for the driver to see and that my brother did not use the crosswalk. The road, General McMullen, needs more lights. Maybe speed bumps, drivers go way too fast. My brother’s death could have been avoided.”
She’s not alone in her concerns over this stretch of South General McMullen.
Joey Cipriano, president of the Thompson Neighborhood Association, said old infrastructure, speeding, a lack of lighting and spread-out crosswalks are all community concerns.
“This is one of the oldest segments of General McMullen,” Cipriano said. “It’s in desperate need of repair.”
Just more than a mile up the road is the intersection of General McMullen and Castroville Road. KSAT has done about a dozen stories on pedestrian safety concerns there.
Following our initial reporting, the city conducted a traffic study of the Castroville Road corridor and is looking into options for improvements. One traffic signal has been confirmed, though. A city spokesperson said a signal at Castroville Road and Dahlgreen will be completed in December 2025.
Cipriano said he wants the Thompson neighborhood to see improvements next.
“We could use some major infrastructure dollars,” he said. “This section of General McMullen has been forgotten about for quite a long time.”
KSAT asked Public Works if any improvements were coming to this stretch of South General McMullen. A spokesperson responded with the following three bullets:
- The nearest bond project, Port San Antonio Area Streets, includes pedestrian and traffic amenities on General McMullen, a few blocks south of this location.
-
A sidewalk repair project on Weir Avenue (from General McMullen to Dahlgreen) was completed earlier this year.
-
The nearest traffic signals on General McMullen and Weir Avenue, as well as Thompson Place, both have pedestrian amenities.
The Vega family said they are fundraising to pay for Orlando Vega’s burial.
Read also:
Copyright 2025 by KSAT – All rights reserved.