Opinion
www.SanTanSun.com
January 18 - 31, 2014
43
Community Commentary
Have bike, will travel BY R.J. ZEDER, CHANDLER TRANSPORTATION AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
With all this great weather I’d like to encourage our South Chandler residents who haven’t done so R.J. Zeder. Submitted in a while to dust photo off their bikes and ride! For a number of years now, Chandler has been investing in infrastructure improvements that accommodate or encourage bicycling and has been recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. We recently constructed bike/ pedestrian crossing signals at several arterial streets along our Paseo Trail in Southeast Chandler and along our Western Canal Shared-Use Path in North Chandler. We also completed in December a bike/pedestrian bridge that crosses the Price Freeway at Galveston Street, north of Chandler Boulevard. This bridge links bicycle paths on collector streets on both sides of the freeway,
allowing for more access to parks, schools, employment and shopping centers. Bicyclists also are taking advantage of Chandler’s Park and Ride lot adjacent to Tumbleweed Park. Bike riders can connect to an Express Bus, which leaves from the lot each weekday morning, and travel to downtown Phoenix or catch the LINK bus which runs every day and travels along Arizona Avenue/Country Club Drive to connect to light rail. Riders can utilize the bike lockers at the lot or the bike racks on the bus. Chandler also is involved in regional efforts to improve conditions for bicycling. City transit planners are participating in a Maricopa Association of Government’s Bicycle Counts project that will collect bicycle counts at a number of locations throughout the Valley to better understand how bike routes and facilities are performing, what patterns exist, why trips are made and whether safety improvements are needed. With the support of our residents, Chandler will continue to develop the city’s bicycle system while striving to provide maximum safety, convenience, and comfort for bicyclists of all ages.
Road to fruition: Four driving resolutions for 2014 BY BRAD OLTMANS, AAA VICE PRESIDENT OF INSURANCE
New Year’s resolutions don’t need to stop at losing weight or controlling finances. Why not resolve to clean up some behind-the-wheel behaviors and adopt safer driving behaviors in 2014? As an advocacy organization, AAA is urging motorists to make a personal goal to be a safe driver in 2014. This is especially important as issues such as distracted driving have become a public health threat. In 2012, 825 Arizonans died in traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a slight increase from 821 in 2011. AAA Arizona is challenging motorists to examine their driving habits and make the following four safe driving resolutions for 2014: Put down the phone. In 2011, more than 3,300 people died in crashes related to using a cell phone or texting while driving. Luckily, this safety fix is simple: Pull over to use your phone. If you can’t control the urge, use an app to block the phone from being operated while driving. And don’t think a Bluetooth makes everything safer—it’s just as cognitively distracting to use hands-free technology as handheld. Know the laws. Many motorists aren’t aware of newer laws on the books. For example, in 2011, Arizona’s “Move Over” law was expanded to include tow trucks and stranded motorists displaying alternately flashing lights alongside
freeways and highways. Any time you see an emergency vehicle or any other vehicle with its hazard lights on, you must move over a lane to give it extra room. If you can’t move over, you must slow down substantially. Yield to pedestrians and bicyclists. An increasing number of pedestrians are being killed in motor vehiclerelated crashes in Arizona. In fact, the number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed from 2005 to 2010 rose 45 and 30%, respectively. Motorists should be especially diligent around crosswalks and look both ways for bikes. Pedestrians and cyclists should be aware of their surroundings, not walk or ride distracted, and wear bright and/or reflective clothing. Always use a proper car seat. In Arizona, children up to age 8 or 4-feet, 9-inches tall must be secured in a proper child safety seat. All children younger than 12 should be in the backseat. Be careful, though: More than 80% of car seats are installed incorrectly. Make sure you’re using the right seat by checking with an expert. Fire stations and safety organizations, such as AAA, offer free car seat checks. While these tips sound simple, they could end up saving a life. It’s up to all drivers to create a safer traffic mix in Arizona. For more information on the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2012 Traffic Safety Culture Index, visit AAAfoundation.org/.
Letter to the editor
Thank you, Intel BIKE FRIENDLY: Cyclists gather for Chandler’s annual Family Bike Ride held each spring in South Chandler. Submitted photo
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I would like to take this opportunity to thank the employees of Intel for the generosity to our elderly and disabled neighbors in Chandler and Gilbert. Intel’s employees provided over 400 wrapped Christmas presents to our homebound neighbors—for many of them, this was the only present they would receive over the holidays! A local Girl Scout
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35,000 Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway.
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Troupe, ladies from the Bridges to Hope Foundation and our volunteers have been playing elves and delivering the gifts. One woman stated that she hadn’t received a gift in years and was overwhelmed by the generosity of the Intel employees. About Care’s mission is to deliver caring, compassionate support services using trained volunteers with special concern for the elderly
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