Mayor Brown Kicks off Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Campaign
October 30, 2014
Mayor Alvin Brown announced a multi-agency coalition and launched a six-month campaign to address pedestrian and bicycle safety in Jacksonville today on the front steps of City Hall.
Mayor Brown was joined in support by Council Members Don Redman, District 4, Dr. Johnny Gaffney, District 7 and Jim Love, District 14. During the event, Nathanial P. Ford Sr., chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Assistant Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools Paul Soares and Chief Michelle Cook from the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office each commented on their respective agency’s ongoing efforts and overall goals in addressing bike and pedestrian safety. Other agency and advocacy groups were in attendance to support the coalition, including FDOT, AARP and the Florida Highway Patrol.
“We must all work together to improve safety on our streets for pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Mayor Brown. “It’s a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role. With the combined efforts of all stakeholders, I believe we can make Jacksonville a place where residents and visitors alike feel safe walking and biking around our city.”
“The public awareness campaign will remind everyone including pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles, to share the road with each other,” said Council Member Redman. “Bicyclists should share the road with automobiles, allowing them to pass safely, and automobiles should respect the rights of bicyclists to use the road. Working together we can make our streets safer for everyone.”
In a timely announcement from the Federal Highway Administration, Jacksonville was
designated as a Pedestrian Focus City, meaning the city will be eligible to receive technical assistance to help address the high incidence of pedestrian crashes and fatalities in Jacksonville.
“We are grateful for the establishment of the bicycle pedestrian safety coalition, to include meaningful participation by Mayor Brown, City Council and local agencies,” said Chris Burns, Chair of the Jacksonville Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee. “We are optimistic that the coalition can improve Jacksonville’s current status as one of the most dangerous major U.S. cities for pedestrians and bicyclists. The first important step to improvement is leadership and encouragement to our community, through our government officials and community leaders.”
At the event, Mayor Brown also urged both motorists and pedestrians to remember to use extra caution on Halloween night and throughout Daylight Savings Time, which are the most deadly times for pedestrians nationwide.
The citywide coalition is comprised of representatives from JSO, JTA, Duval Schools, City Council, FDOT and others, with support provided by partners including AARP, AAA, JFRD, the North Florida Safety Council and city departments including Public Works, Planning and Development and the city’s Bike & Pedestrian Coordinator, Denise Chaplick. The pedestrian and bicycle safety campaign will emphasize elements of education, engineering and enforcement. This collaboration includes the recently announced crosswalk initiative led by Council Member Lori Boyer to specifically address pedestrian safety.