Norwalk is upping the fight for safer streets and will call upon already-completed studies to further the city’s efforts.
On Thursday, on the Westbound side of the East Norwalk Railroad Station, Mayor Harry Rilling is expected to announce the formation of the “Norwalk Bike/Walk Task Force,” composed of residents and business owners, “to help make our streets and sidewalks safer for everyone regardless of age or ability, or whether they are in a car, on foot, or on two wheels,” the mayor”™s office said in a statement. Rilling will be joined by task force co-chairmen Mike Mushak and Peter Libre.
The task force will put an emphasis on making safer routes to school, work, shopping, pleasure and transit by implementing plans and studies Norwalk already has in place.
The task force will also emphasize public education on following the rules of the road for everyone, including cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
The goal is to improve the quality of life for all Norwalkers and, in turn, contribute to economic growth and business investment “as many studies show these are greatly improved when our cities are made more livable, walkable and bikeable,” the statement said. “Mayor Rilling looks forward to working with the task force and the public on these important issues, to help make Norwalk the best city it can possibly be for everyone who lives here, works here or visits here.”
Rilling”™s office noted state and federal laws, including the 2009 state “Complete Streets Law,” mandate that streets be made safer for all users who share them “by providing improvements that will slow speeding traffic, lower accident rates and injuries and encourage transportation choices for those who want to walk or ride a bicycle as well as drive in a car.”
