Strides For Safety Jamestown Forum Spotlights Complete Streets
Community members and leaders participated in a Complete Streets Community Workshop, held at the James Prendergast Library. GOBike Buffalo presented this seminar with the hopes of assisting the city in lower traffic, managing crosswalks and addressing several public safety and health issues. P-J photo by Christopher J. Blakeslee
Riding a lawnmower, driving the wrong way on a one-way-street, on a sidewalk, in downtown Jamestown is just some of the many issues that the Complete Streets Community Workshop hoped to address.
Community members and leaders participated in a Complete Streets Community Workshop, held at the James Prendergast Library. GOBike Buffalo presented this seminar with the hopes of assisting the city in lower traffic, managing crosswalks and addressing several public safety and health issues. P-J photo by Christopher J. Blakeslee
Riding a lawnmower, driving the wrong way on a one-way-street, on a sidewalk, in downtown Jamestown is just some of the many issues that the Complete Streets Community Workshop hoped to address.
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Several community members, leaders and stakeholders attended a Complete Streets Community Workshop at the James Prendergast Library this week.
The informative workshop, which was presented by GObike Buffalo in collaboration and partnership with Chautauqua Health Network, Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth and the city of Jamestown, was funded by a local grant for about $4,310 from the county Partnership for Economic Growth. The grant will not only cover the cost of the presentation, but also fund some future safety protocol development and implementation.
The focal point of Tuesday's gathering was to look at ways to improve the safety and quality of life for city residents by promoting healthy living -- walking and biking, crosswalk and street safety, traffic reduction, and positive-control measures for traffic management. With the varied input from event attendees being taken into consideration for implementation. However, a primary concern was the area directly next to the library and the public park adjacent to it.
"We're looking at ways to make our city safer for our community members and visitors," Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said. "We have a lot of traffic (pedestrian and vehicles) right here near the library, we need to make it as safe as possible for everyone."
The crosswalks associated with the areas directly around the library and Washington Street have long been associated with high levels of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Thus, it has been targeted for some radical changes.
"We're looking at implementing some design-focused, highly visible, uniquely original and in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessible walkways and crosswalks. Additionally, implementing the best proven practices associated with traffic safety and reduction is just as important," added Ellen Shadle, Jamestown city's principal planner. "The goal of getting more people walking or taking public transportation has long been associated with the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and combating obesity in both children and adults.
The dollar amount associated with combating obesity is an astronomical burden on the Empire State.
The New York state comptroller has identified the cost of obesity as costing: $327 million a year in associated medical cost for youth. This number jumps even higher when adults are factored into the tax burden. Adults, associated with obesity cost the state an average of $11.8 billion a year, and these are 2011 figures.
Moreover, beyond the dangers associated with crosswalks, there's also the issues of improper use of sidewalks, sidewalk buffers, roadway capacity and parking.
Will this plan of change work? Who knows for sure.
However, it does seem to be an evidence-based alternative. This same program was implemented in the village of Hamburg and the municipality reaped the benefits of it. By using quantifiable numbers -- vehicle crashes dropped by 66% and injuries associated with accidents were reduced by 60 percent. Moreover, property values have doubled in value since the implementation of the Complete Streets recommendations.
Cost to Hamburg? Reconstruction was $13 million for a two-mile segment of Main Street.