"The tragic case of Raquel Nelson" is the second-worst transportation failure of 2011, according to a list compiled by an online magazine, The Atlantic Cities.

Nelson's case—a jury convicted her of three misdemeanors in the jaywalking death of her son in April 2010—comes behind only Florida's refusal to take federal money for high-speed rail on the transit-leaning list, compiled by Eric Jaffe.

Behind the Marietta mother of two surviving daughters are such big-money projects as a bridge closing and a bridge rebuilding, a bus drivers' strike in Detroit, the nonevent that was California's Carmaggedon, and the expiration of a tax break for commuters who take mass transit.

Jaffe writes that the conviction of Nelson on charges of second-degree vehicular homicide, crossing a street outside a crosswalk and reckless conduct reflected the failure of metro Atlanta's street design.

Her 4-year-old son was killed by a hit-and-run driver while the family tried to cross Austell Road directly from a Cobb Community Transit bus stop to their apartment complex rather than walk a half-mile out of their way to use a crosswalk while lugging packages.

Nelson, who was sentenced to probation in July, is awaiting a retrial on the vehicular homicide and crosswalk charges. She is appealing to have the case dismissed.