The Danville City Council has voted to apply for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. City Engineer Sam Cole says that after a Vermilion County Safety Action Plan survey was sent out earlier this year; the object of this grant, if received, will be for pedestrian, bicyclist, and wheelchair safety. Basically, anything that is not a car.
Although Danville could apply for $25 million or more, the city would have a 20% match requirement. Therefore, the city is aiming for around $12.5 million. Cole says the survey named some obvious areas where non-auto traffic feels unsafe; such as along Bowman, Voorhees, and Seminary Streets.
Cole also says that if the money is received, there are various strategies that can be used to both slow down cars, and create more room for non-auto traffic. Improved traffic signals may be part of it, but another part can be affecting the psychology of the drivers. For example, sometimes roads are wider than they have to be, making drivers think they can act like they’re on an interstate. But Cole says if you narrow the roadways, still giving the drivers plenty of room, but not the feeling of “full speed ahead,” then you can also have more room for non-auto traffic. One possible result might be “shared use paths;” meant for bikes and pedestrians, as well as wheelchairs.
AUDIO: And when we narrow these roadways, it also creates space for wider sidewalks, and putting in curb ramps. We have many arterial corridors; Voorhees Street is one, East Voorhees; Logan Avenue is one; that have large amounts of cars. And if you’re not a car, there is nowhere for you to be, other than in the grass or trying to make something happen. And so, we’re trying to change that.
Cole says the city will probably find out if they’re getting the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant by towards the end of the year.
