A group of Kern Place merchants has decided to take immediate steps to make it safer for pedestrians crossing the street at Cincinnati and Mesa.

During the day, the intersection at Mesa and Cincinnati is busy, but at night there's less light and people bar-hopping, and many believe it creates a problem.

Keith Mahar, who owns two bars on Cincinnati Street, said the area is the closest thing El Paso has to an entertainment district, so it needs to be supported.

Kern Place merchants want to take it a step further by getting pedestrians escorted across the street by an off-duty police officer.

Yet, those who like to come to this area already have mixed feelings about the idea.

"I don't see how one person can stop it; I mean, he might get run over, the cop himself," said Vanessa Parra of East El Paso.

And police agree, off-duty officers may not solve all of the issues in the area.

"I don't know if having those officers out that night would have saved those vibrant young people; I just don't know if that would have happened because the drunk driver would have still went down the street," said Paul Cross, assistant chief of police.

The officers will be at the intersections only on Fridays from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., and they are expected to start this week.