In the last month alone, two senior citizen pedestrians have been struck and killed in Clark County. Hearing some of recent criticism of the city’s efforts to improve safety on McGillivray for pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users has been really disappointing. Repurposing a lane is for the safety of everyone. For years, McGillivray has been used as a way for drivers to avoid Mill Plain. The parts of Mill Plain parallel to McGillivray do not have a bike lane and McGillivray is largely devoid of sidewalks.
When I first had a suspended license and lived along McGillivray, the access to mobility and the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center are what allowed me to get to work and pay off my fines. It helped me get out of unstable housing. Reducing lanes actually does reduce congestion and is safer for drivers as well.
While you may be economically stable and not rely on the mobility and transit networks, your neighbor may need this for safety and accessibility. Critics of the project, please consider others in the community before you disregard mobility and pedestrian improvements.
