Pedestrian Safety
August 1, 2019
by Valerie Hsu
Thousands of low-income families, singles, seniors and disabled persons without cars must walk along dangerous roads in order to access buses, schools, grocery stores and pharmacies in Montgomery County. AIM leaders, clergy and congregation members demanded greater pedestrian safety measures such as constructing sidewalks and crosswalks, in order to protect all people.
AIM has won over $350,000 in improvements including:
A bench and bus shelter at New Hampshire and Colesville near the Willow Manor Senior Center on Randolph Road
Creating a flashing light and crosswalk at the Scotland community in Potomac and increasing crossing time for Pedestrians at New Hampshire Avenue
Creating a “No Outlet” sign on White Ground Road in Boyds, and creating a sign warning of a pedestrian crossing in downtown Silver Spring
Winning a sidewalk to provide citizens in wheelchairs and with strollers safe passage along Cape May Rd, so residents of low-income housing could access bus transportation on New Hampshire Avenue
AIM leaders, clergy and congregation members also held a 50 person Action to demand better pedestrian safety conditions in Silver Spring and worked with the Department of Transportation to ensure they were put into place. Additionally, after over 10 years of resistance over building a sidewalk on Cape May Road in the historic African American Good Hope Community, Jackie Jones Smith, the Pastor at Good Hope Church, Colesville United Methodist Church leaders, and other AIM members testified at the Park and Planning Board. The board took action and built the sidewalk along Cape May Road using environmentally friendly materials.
