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HomeMy WebLinkAboutENG - Street Smarts July 2016 City of Edina 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424 Contact: Jordan Gilgenbach, Communications Coordinator Phone 952-826-0396 jgilgenbach@EdinaMN.gov EdinaMN.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE City Reminds Residents: ‘Patience, not Patients’ on Local Streets Edina, Minn., June 30, 2016 – The City of Edina reminds residents that it’s about “Patience, not Patients” on local streets. To educate street users about safety, the Engineering and Police departments in 2015 launched the “Edina Street Smarts” campaign. Each month of the spring, summer and fall, the departments remind street users of ways to be safe and respectful of others. For July, 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 bicyclists and pedestrians the right of way when the situation calls for it. Allowing extra time for bicyclists 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 behind 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. Signaling your intentions and turns to other street users. 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. A shift has been occurring in the way the community thinks about streets, the way they have been designed, and how (and by whom) they are used. The City 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. For more information, visit EdinaMN.gov or contact the Police Department at 952-826-1610 or Engineering Department at 952-826-0371. -30-