Tragedy in AA County now a national example of whats wrong with our streets

The recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included $48 billion for transportation infrastructure investments. Of that $48 billion, more than $27.5 billion are in funding categories that make funds eligible for use in projects with complete streets elements, and another $3.8 billion are available for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

The Problem:

The ARRA funding should not be used to expand a system of roads that do not provide safe travel for people who are walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation along a corridor. Too many streets around the country are designed to be wide and fast, without sufficient sidewalks, crosswalks, safe bus facilities, or bicycle lanes. Little consideration has been given for the safety of older people, children, or people with disabilities. These incomplete streets are dangerous and create barriers for people to get to jobs, school, the doctor, and fully participate in civic life. Many cities and towns now recognize the need to re-design their streets to enable safe, comfortable movement along and across streets by food, bicycle, and public transportation.

Tragic Example:

A 14 year-old girl was killed at 5:45 pm Friday while trying to cross Ritchie Highway (Route 2) on her bicycle in Pasadena, in Anne Arundel County. Police said that that the intersection isn't "designed, marked or engineered as a pedestrian crossing." What goes unmentioned is that there is no marked crossing anywhere nearby. The closest traffic signal, at Eastwest Boulevard, has no crosswalks or sidewalks.

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Article based on:
Use the Stimulus Bill to Complete Our Nation’s Streets
<a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/02/19/use-the-stimulus-bill-to-complete-our-nations-streets/">http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/02/19/use-the-stimulus-bill-to-complete-our-nations-streets/</a>;

Get involved:
Creating Complete Streets with Economic Stimulus Spending
<a href="http://www.completestreets.org/stimulus.html">http://www.completestreets.org/stimulus.html</a>;

More about the tragedy:
14 year-old cyclist killed. Will safety improvements follow?
<a href="http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1698">http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1698</a>;

Pasadena girl killed crossing Ritchie Highway
<a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/02_15-50/FOR">http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/02_15-50/FOR</a>;

No charges for driver in accident that killed teen
<a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.regiondigest150feb15,0,5094781.story">http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.regiondigest150feb15,0,5094781.story</a>;

Additional problem, contributory negligence:
Intersections in Maryland Can Be Dangerous
NBC reported that another pedestrian has been killed in Prince George's County. On January 12, 2008, Rosario Gonzales was killed at the notoriously dangerous intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard.

The sad part of this story is that the person that struck and killed Mr. Gonzalez did not have the human decency to stop. The person who hit Mr. Gonzalez fled the scene, and police are looking for him now.

Our roads have been designed for automobile traffic only. Our roads were not designed to help pedestrians, nor where they designed to help bicyclists get where they need to go. When you need to cross the street, you have to be extra careful, because the road designs and intersection designs are working against you.

Serious personal injuries are routine in pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Unfortunately, Maryland follows the principle of contributory negligence, where if you are partly at fault, you cannot recover any damages from another person.

Insurance companies routinely mislead their insureds about what insurance is available, and always threaten to &quot;raise your rates&quot; if you use your insurance. When you hear something that just does not sound right, it is probably time to call a lawyer.
<a href="http://metrodc.injuryboard.com/automobile-accidents/intersections-in-maryland-can-be-dangerous.aspx?googleid=230458">http://metrodc.injuryboard.com/automobile-accidents/intersections-in-maryland-can-be-dangerous.aspx?googleid=230458</a>;

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Baltimore Spokes
https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20090220071020383