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| StreetSmart Regional Pedestrian Safety Fall Campaign Launch
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- ID: 11-007
- Monday, November 14, 2011; 2 p.m.
- Intersection of Piney Branch Road and Garland Avenue, Silver Spring
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- Welcome to Montgomery County.
- Thanks to our regional leaders, our State of Maryland partners, and the Street Smart campaign for helping to improve regional safety.
- Today, we have great news about pedestrian safety in Montgomery County.
- We are here to launch a new concept that is the first of its kind in Maryland.
- It is a concept to address a situation that – although we all know better --- we’ve probably found ourselves in…….
- Being in a hurry – it’s a way of life in this region -- and although we all know better, the temptation can be great to run across the street mid-block or outside a crosswalk.
- But, for pedestrians who make these impulsive decisions, there can be dire consequences.
- So, we have installed these curb markings all along Piney Branch Road that indicate where it IS and ISN’T safe for pedestrians to cross the street.
- We want to remind pedestrians at the point where they are making a split-second decision -- that crossing the street can be a death defying act –
- And we hope the markings will remind pedestrians to think twice before crossing mid-block and risking injury or death.
- In Montgomery County, we have moved aggressively since 2007 - - when I introduced my Pedestrian Safety Initiative - - to reduce pedestrian collisions and to make our community safer for walkers, bikers and motorists.
- I am happy to report to you today that we are making progress.
- A recent CountyStat review of the Initiative found that in the areas where traffic calming and enhanced pedestrian facilities were constructed -- the strategy is reducing speeding and the number and severity of pedestrian collisions.
- Prior to 2007, severe injuries - - where pedestrians were either killed or incapacitated from their collisions - - exceeded 30 percent of all pedestrian collisions.
- This percentage has been declining since 2007 to the current 24 percent for the first six months of 2011.
- In the County’s eight High Incidence Areas – of which this Piney Branch Road corridor is one -- there was a 56 percent decline in pedestrian collisions in 2010, as compared to the preceding five-year average of collisions.
- And, there has been a 70 percent decline in pedestrian collisions from the three years preceding engineering, education and enforcement actions at schools addressed under the Safe Routes to Schools program.
- I am very encouraged by these results.
- Over three years, our traffic calming projects have resulted in an 18 percent decline in pedestrian collisions where they are installed.
- It is through innovative efforts that combine engineering, education and enforcement that we are seeing these results.
- And that is what we are doing here on Piney Branch Road.
- In addition to the engineering changes and curb markings, we have education teams on the street intervening when they see unsafe behaviors and providing pedestrians with information about staying safe.
- In addition, Police are issuing warnings and tickets to pedestrians and drivers who are not obeying the law.
- I’m proud that Montgomery County has been a participant in the Street Smart partnership since its beginning.
- Our efforts are making a difference throughout the region by making our roadways safer for everyone.
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