November 14, 2018
Pedestrian Safety Awareness
The Villages of Garrison Creek’s population is growing with the near-completion of Phase 9. More homes bring more vehicle traffic and more pedestrians. Holidays bring many visitors, as well.
The Block Watch/Safety Committee is sending out a friendly reminder to increase traffic safety awareness so that we all can correct our driving habits to respect the safety of our residents as they walk/move through the Villages to enjoy our beautiful trails and common areas.
Promoting public safety in the privately-owned Villages streets is an on-going issue that will be addressed with our leadership team in greater detail. In the meantime, we ask all our Villages residents to please review some minimum safety reminders below and do your part to drive and walk with caution as you travel our streets, sidewalks, and walking trails.
If you have any specific pedestrian/traffic safety improvement suggestions you’d like to share, please contact the leaders listed at the bottom of this email. We all need to work together to promote optimal public safety for everyone who lives in or visits the Villages.
What is a pedestrian?
A pedestrian is a person on foot or who uses a mobility device such as roller skates, skateboard, etc., other than a bicycle. A pedestrian can also be a person with or without a disability using an adult tricycle, quadricycle, or wheelchair/motorized scooter for transportation.
Bicycles are considered vehicles and must share the right side of the street with vehicles when they travel through the Villages. Bicycles are not allowed on our walking trails.
Villages streets, most without sidewalks, are not as wide as public streets and were constructed to be shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles. Please note the following safety reminders (landlords, please share with your tenants, too):
1. Honor the 15 mph speed limit on all Villages streets when driving at all times.
2. Motorized wheelchairs and scooters should access the walking trails by using the main sidewalks on Garrison Village Way as much as possible. If using the side streets is absolutely unavoidable because you live on one, please travel with a walking companion, if possible, and stay on the left side of the street, against traffic, as a pedestrian. Do not travel down the middle of a street or on the right side with vehicles and bicycles. Make sure your wheelchair or scooter is equipped with an orange safety flag for increased visibility. Low, recumbent bicycles should have these orange flags, as well.
3. When entering a feeder street from one of our alleys, please come to a full stop and do not proceed until it is safe. Many vehicles do not stop when they leave an alley and have come close to colliding with a vehicle or pedestrian traveling on a main feeder road.
4. When backing out of your driveway/garage to a feeder street, use extreme caution and be aware of pedestrians/children playing and other vehicles, parked or traveling, that may be in your way.
5. Be aware of any blind spots and obstructed views created by fences and shrubs as you walk or drive in the Villages. Slow down as you approach corners and walking trail crossings and look both ways as you cross the streets.
6. Honor the one-side-only parking rule signs. Our narrow streets need to be fully accessible to any emergency vehicles that need to pass. When vehicles park on both sides across from each other, fire trucks and ambulances are prevented from passing which can significantly slow down critical response time.
7. When walking the streets and sidewalks before sunrise or after sunset, please carry a flashlight or other personal lighting for increased visibility. During icy weather, add traction devices like “Stabilicers” or “YakTrax” to your shoes/boots to reduce the risk of falls.
Promoting public safety is an on-going goal for us all. Please help us by using common sense and courtesy as you travel through the Villages. Slow down. Take the time to look out for other cars and pedestrians. Give pedestrians the right-of-way. Help us keep our streets and sidewalks safe for all.
Thank you.