HomeMy WebLinkAboutStreet Smarts - July
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Jennifer Bennerotte,
Communications & Technology Services Director
Phone 952-833-9520 • jbennerotte@EdinaMN.gov • www.EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City Reminds Residents: ‘Patience, not Patients’ on Local Streets
Edina, Minn., July 9, 2015 – The City of Edina reminds residents that it’s about “Patience, not Patients” on
local streets.
Recently, a shift has been occurring in the way the City of Edina’s residents, workers and visitors think about
streets, the way they have been designed, and how (and by whom) they are used. The community has been
moving toward becoming one that is more active and “livable,” with streets that are more “human-centered.”
Living Streets are designed and engineered to be safe and convenient for everyone – not just drivers, but also
bicyclists, transit riders, the disabled and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Living Streets are designed to
improve residents’ health and quality of life while enhancing a neighborhood’s social and economic vitality.
To educate street users about safety, the Engineering and Police departments recently launched the “Edina
Street Smarts” campaign. Each month of the spring, summer and fall, the departments will remind street users
of ways to be safe and respectful of others. This month, the message is “Patience, not Patients. Avoid Injury.
Be Aware of Other Street Users.”
Motorists: Patience, especially on the road, is a virtue, and can save lives. Your patience may involve:
Waiting until it is safe to pass a bicycle and refraining from tailgating.
Giving cyclists the right of way when the situation calls for it.
Allowing extra time for cyclists and pedestrians to go through intersections.
Recognizing road hazards that may be dangerous for cyclists and giving cyclists the necessary space to
deal with them. In conditions where there is not enough room for a cyclist to ride to the right, they
are allowed to ride closer to the lane of traffic, and sometimes even in the lane of traffic.
Stop in advance of a stop sign, stop line or crosswalk and yield to pedestrians.
Bicyclists: You are on a vehicle, too! Your patience may involve:
Obeying traffic laws, including at stop signs and traffic signals.
Yielding to pedestrians on sidewalks, at crosswalks and walking along the roadway.
Pedestrians: You are the most vulnerable users of our streets. Your patience may involve:
Following traffic control signals at all intersections.
Using a marked crosswalk when available when crossing a roadway.
Exercising care for your own safety even when you have the right-of-way.
For more information, visit www.EdinaMN.gov or contact the Police Department at
952-826-1610 or Engineering Department at 952-826-0371.
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