ORLANDO, Fla. – The city of Orlando is planning to spend $3 million on what it’s calling “quick builds” for pedestrian safety in certain areas.
City of Orlando Safety Mobility Manager Laura Hardwicke said curb extensions, slow-turn wedges and median or refuge islands, will help them determine the next best step when it comes to pedestrian safety.
“It’s going to give us the tools we need to test out some new counter-safety measures, some new enhancements to pedestrian safety, and see how we can really make it better for people walking,” Hardwicke said. “Then, that will inform our pedestrian plan for the city.”
On the project’s page on the city’s website, more than two dozen areas have been identified as having a high need for pedestrian safety. One of the locations on the list is near Audubon Park School.
“Everything in this program is centered around the pedestrian experience,” Hardwicke said. “So it’s going to be pretty close to the school and exactly what that enhancement is or treatment is and where it goes is going to be informed not just by our data, but by what we hear from the community.”
News 6 spoke to Elizabeth Kritzer, who lives near the Audubon Park School, about the city’s move.
“All sorts of things I think are needed, but it makes me happy to know that the city is investing in pedestrian safety and just safety in general, especially around schools,” Kritzer said.
David Johnson also lives in the Audubon Park neighborhood. News 6 has spoke with him in the past about pedestrian safety in Audubon Park and, despite being out of town on business, he still made time to share his thoughts with us.
“I do hope previous plans I was familiar with on Corrine do go through, they need to slow the traffic down, and they need to increase the number of pedestrian crossings. That’s very important,” Johnson said. “But secondly, as I mentioned before, I fear for the safety of students and parents even on the side streets especially Raven Road.”
The project is expected to kick off in December.