The Dew Drop neighborhood in Center City, MN, consists of 33 single-family homes. People of all ages (children thru seniors) live there. The only land access is from U.S. Highway 8, which, at this location, has a higher than average crash rate and has been identified as a hazardous traffic location.
To access local schools, businesses, churches, government offices, trails, parks, playgrounds etc. Dew Drop residents must cross this hazard, but there is no crosswalk, nor a safe path to a crosswalk.
This discourages Dew Drop residents from walking, which is healthy and environmentally friendly, and forces them into cars which adds to pollution and congestion, and depletes natural resources (e.g. oil).
Fact - at least one Dew Drop resident has been killed trying to cross Highway 8!
Fact - the local middle school is less than 300 yards away, but because it is on the other side of Highway 8, the school district provides buses to ferry Dew Drop residents to and from school!
Fact - just as the highway approaches the middle school, the Dew Drop community, a series of sharp curves, and the business center of Center City, the speed limit increases by 50%!
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDoT) says the increased speed limit allows "...little reaction time for drivers to identify a crossing pedestrian and properly stop..." and therefore the location is "...an unsuitable candidate for a marked crosswalk..." In other words, increased speed past a school and built-up areas with sharp curves, is more important than pedestrians!
(How about reducing the speed limit, MNDoT ?)
