Following the two pedestrian deaths over the weekend, three Assembly members on Tuesday presented fresh ideas to increase pedestrian safety in Anchorage. An SUV struck Crystal Anvil, 38, killing her tragically on Saturday night while she was crossing Northern Lights Boulevard. This was Anchorage’s twelfth pedestrian fatality of the year. Two cars struck Ambrose Aguchak, 79, on the New Seward Highway, claiming his life just one day before. Anchorage is getting closer to breaking the state record of 13 pedestrian fatalities set last year.
Outraged by the mounting toll, Meg Zaletel of the Midtown Assembly highlighted the need for immediate reform. She declared at a news conference that the community’s lack of outrage outraged her. Zaletel, Daniel Volland, and Karen Bronga of the Assembly submitted a resolution that included three significant policy reforms. The first suggests increasing street illumination on busy roadways, which accounts for many deaths. The second proposes restricting speeds to 35 mph and lowering speed restrictions by at least 10 mph on routes where pedestrian fatalities occur. The resolution recommends initiating a public education campaign to raise awareness of pedestrian hazards due to unfavorable road conditions.
Furthermore, if the Assembly approves the proposal, they will designate October as “Pedestrian Safety Month.” Volland stated, “We cannot continue to treat our urban centers as super highways, prioritizing vehicle movement over safety,” emphasizing the importance of fast action. The resolution notes that most pedestrian fatalities this year occurred on state roads with high speeds. It recommends that the state set stricter speed limits on certain roads or make them safety corridors. Furthermore, the Assembly requests that the state and local administrations initiate their immediate responses to the Anchorage pedestrian safety by October 8. Numerous state legislators have backed the topic currently under discussion in the Legislature.
This news story was originally published by Anchorage Daily News.
