Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Heads Up When Crossing the Street!

Stories like this one have become all too common in Denver - A man driving a yellow Jeep Wrangler says sun glare was to blame for him hitting a pedestrian on Colfax Avenue near Milwaukee Street.

The pedestrian has a broken arm and some head trauma. According to police, the driver was trying to turn onto eastbound Colfax Avenue from St. Paul Street when he hit the pedestrian.

In order to help counteract this problem, volunteers will be at the corner of Colfax and Broadway offering pedestrians safety tips today. The advice they offer is good, but the ultimate reality is that infrastructure improvements are needed to make Colfax safer for pedestrians. Perhaps Denver could implement some of the measures taken on Boulder's 28th Street: http://katana.hsrc.unc.edu/cms/downloads/ENG.28thStreetMulti-ModalImprovements.pdf

This is part of the Heads Up Campaign with the City of Denver and Denver Police. The volunteers will be handing out cards with safety tips on them and also handing out goodies.

"Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable users of our transportation system. Drivers and bicyclists need to look out for them and pedestrians should put away their electronic devices and keep their 'Heads Up,' especially when crossing a street," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release.

The volunteers will be at two Denver intersections Wednesday morning including 16th and Wynkoop streets and Colfax Avenue and Broadway.

Some of the tips they will be telling pedestrians include:
  • Always cross the street at an intersection.
  • Obey the walk/don't walk pedestrian signals.
  • Use the "push to walk" button where available.
  • Look both ways before entering the roadway to cross the street.
  • Don't be a distracted pedestrian. Put away your electronic devices and stay alert. Don't wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while crossing the street.

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