Orlando area has long been ranked the most dangerous area in America for pedestrians. Over the past three weeks the Orlando Sentinel has reported in a 3-part series on their investigation into the problem and solutions, concluding with the below editorial in Sunday's paper. While Lee County isn't as dangerous as Orlando, it is in the top 10 most dangerous areas in Florida for pedestrians and cyclists and has been targeted for attention by FDOT. It's worth watching the Sentinel's intro video, and reading the below editorial...there are many lessons for Lee County.
July 21, 2013
The nation was transfixed after an Asiana jetliner
crash-landed in San Francisco recently. Two people were killed, the first
commercial air fatalities in the U.S. in four years.
If only Central Florida's streets were so safe.
An Orlando Sentinel special report has found that in the
past six years, 333 pedestrians have been killed by vehicles.
Instead of transfixed, the region seems resigned, as if we
are powerless to do anything about the carnage.
And where has that resignation gotten us? Well, in addition
to being the nation's No. 1 tourist destination, we also claim the title as the
nation's deadliest city for pedestrians.
You won't see that on any chamber brochures or theme-park
marketing campaigns.
Instead, Central Florida's shameful distinction remains
mostly in the shadows, unless you're a family member confronted with the grief
of losing a loved one. Or if you're among the scores of people who survive but
suffer horrible, lifelong injuries.
Or even if you're one of the many blameless motorists who
every day bear the burden of having injured, even killed, someone who blundered
into the path of your car.
And make no mistake, the majority of pedestrian deaths and
injuries are due to the misjudgment or carelessness of pedestrians, not
motorists.
There's a reason for that. In the headlong rush to build,
build, build, this region has created the kind of sprawl that necessitates
bigger, high-speed roads.
The needs of pedestrians have been an afterthought.
Engineers design crosswalks, but covering eight lanes of fast-moving traffic
can be terrifying for a hapless pedestrian with kids in tow.
The Sentinel's series highlighting this near-daily tragedy
should be a clarion call, not just for the usual suspects in elected office,
but for the region's businesses, institutions and community groups that can
take up the cause of making Central Florida's streets safer for pedestrians.
Common decency should be enough reason to make pedestrian
safety a priority, but there are pragmatic reasons, too. What region —
especially a family-friendly destination — wants to be tagged as the deadliest
anything?
If Central Florida's reputation for pedestrian danger grows,
will tourists start to think twice about visiting? Will businesses looking to
relocate mark the region down on quality of life? Orlando can hardly afford
such a black mark in the hyper-competitive market for new business.
The region's leaders need to start making some tough
decisions, like lowering speed limits, spending more money to retrofit existing
roads and demanding that new roads be designed with pedestrians in mind.
But as today's installment of "Blood in the
Streets" makes clear, this region must undergo an attitude change. A
cultural change among motorists acknowledging that pedestrians have the right
to be safe, and that pedestrians have the responsibility to act safely.
That'll take leadership. Who's up for it?
[Note: The entire series is worth reading, but is not available online unless you a subscriber to the Orlando Sentinel.]
Have you all gotten much help from Allen Grayson on this? Isn't he your representative in Congress? It seems like the type of issue he could make a rousing speech on, perhaps in order to obtain better funding for pedestrian and bike safety nationwide.
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