On Monday night the Columbia City Council introduced an ordinance focused on pedestrian safety that would restrict pedestrian use of medians and traffic islands at intersections where the speed limit is 30 mph or more, average daily traffic is 15,000 or higher, or that are less than 6 foot wide. All intersections along the Business Loop would qualify.
The vote is scheduled for the Council meeting on Monday, November 17 at 7 pm and there will be a public hearing which we encourage people to attend. However, council members are already thinking through this issue so now is the time to contact the City Council.
Representatives from the Business Loop CID will be testifying in favor of this ordinance. We see the near-misses and the dangerous conditions every day and this needs to be part of our ongoing efforts to make the street safer to travel--safer for everyone.
We recently conducted a safety survey of the Business Loop where we walked, biked, and drove the Business Loop at all hours of the day and night to observe safety conditions. It was clear that people standing in the median created significant problems.
Drivers seeking to help those asking for money would stop at a green light or in the middle of a turn, creating the perfect conditions for a rear-end crash. People darted into moving traffic to accept money, which is never safe. And interestingly, we also found that pedestrians were less willing to cross at a crosswalk if someone was standing in the median. We saw numerous instances of high school students avoiding the crosswalk and instead jaywalking across Business Loop when there was a break in traffic. Medians can be a safe place for pedestrians to stop if the signal changes, but not if the median is already occupied.
It's important to separate the issues of housing, mental health, and other needs from the issue of standing on medians. Columbia is a compassionate community and we have non-profits and government agencies working hard to provide assistance to people in need. If someone in our community needs help, we should direct them to the appropriate services, not ask them to beg on our streets.
Contact City Council now with your thoughts. Again, this issue is already under consideration so contacting them now is key.
Attend the City Council meeting on November 17 at 7 pm at City Hall on Eighth and Broadway. The public hearing is open to all and each speaker will have 3 minutes--so practice what you would like to say and make sure you are short and concise.
Finally, consider helping a non-profit focused on providing services like meals, housing, or medical assistance.
