In a progressive attempt to create a safer environment for Arlington's pedestrians and cyclists, city officials have urged the community to chime in on the newly proposed transportation safety action plan. Slated to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries by 5% per year, the initiative, known as Safe Streets Arlington, pivotally relies upon public input. A third public meeting is set for September 19, allowing residents to weigh in on the plan's details.
Comprising 100 square miles, the streets of Arlington have become the site where a disproportionate share of calamities unfold, with a staggering 70% of fatal and severe crashes occurring on merely 6% of its roads. To reverse this grim statistic, the Transportation Department, in concert with the Police and Public Works, has devised a bold strategy to obliterate traffic-related deaths by 2050. This aligns with the city being one of the 474 recipients of the Safe Streets and Roads for All program grant, stemming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Feedback is being solicited through an online survey as well as the upcoming public meeting at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, as per the City of Arlington.
Prior surveys already point to a citizenry that stands behind the forceful enforcement of traffic laws and a re-imagination of road designs to naturally curtail speeding. Notably, the survey results emphasize the need for increased public transportation and better maintenance of streets and sidewalks. Attendees at May's meeting echoed this sentiment, praising proposed safety measures like pedestrian refuge islands and road reconfigurations.
