Pedestrians Have Rights Too

The city council has decided to think some more about installing a traffic light on Plymouth Road, although many community leaders “have been lobbying for a traffic light at the intersection near the Islamic Center since 1988.” Let me repeat it again: roads are public spaces created for everyone to use to travel no matter whether on foot, on a bicycle, or in a bus or automobile, or other means. (Perhaps petal-driven taxis or Segways) Successful roads must meet the needs of all of their users, and yes, that sometimes means each must compromise, and it also sometimes means they must be equipped with sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks.

“There is one number that should loom larger than the traffic numbers and that is the number three, for the three people who lost their lives at the intersection,” she said.

In addition to the two students, a patient from the University Geriatrics Center was killed at the intersection in April 2002 while crossing to get to the bus stop.”

> From Daily: “Council opts for more analysis of traffic at deadly intersection”
> See also AANews: “Muslims fret city will renege on traffic light”