Streets are for people, and should be safe for people, especially when outside a car. 
No child should have to grow up with dangerous fast moving traffic right outside their front door, the elderly shouldn't have to beg forgiveness when taking more time than is allowed by a crossing signal, parents shouldn't have to play chicken with cars when crossing at an intersection, sidewalks should be wide enough to accommodate a stroller or wheelchair, and riding a bicycle to the grocery store, daycare or pharmacy shouldn't feel like an extreme sport.  Nearly half of the hospitalizations from crashes on our streets have been to pedestrians and cyclists. When we see an elderly person or someone with a disability riding a mobility chair in the street; it tells us that the sidewalk is impassable due to narrow obstructions and uneven surfaces. When we then see young able-bodied adults or teens riding bicycles on the sidewalk, it tells us that they are afraid to use the street despite often being required to by law and having the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. While some might call for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, the long term and more effective solution lies in infrastructure that encourages and enforces safe behaviors. We must act quickly, because the lack of federal and state leadership on these issues has resulted in streets that become more dangerous by the day.
How can we do this
  • Short Term Broad actions:
    • implement weekend road closures on local streets during summer months to give residents the opportunity to reclaim their streets
    • Install temporary measures with cones to get fast feed back
    • Invest in quick deploy methods such as paint flex-posts and temporary speed humps while streets are slated for reconstruction
  • Long Term Broad Actions
    • Pass a Cycling and walking safety ordinance that requires high density neighborhood streets to conform to National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) standards when rebuilt
    • Increase trails and trail connections around the borough
    • work with the county and neighboring municipalities to improve the trail network
    • Invest in street sweeping equipment to handle a broader range of street designs
    • Enact policy that reduces borough vehicle size where possible
  • Sidewalks
    • bring sidewalk repairs in house for denser neighborhoods in the borough
    • ensure that sidewalks are obstruction free for wheelchairs and strollers
    • increase mid-block crossings for lengthy blocks
    • implement pedestrian yield streets on avenues
  • Bicycle lanes and trails
    • complete a separated bicycle network in the borough that puts nearly everyone within two blocks of the network
    • increase the usage of protected bicycle intersections
    • increase the usage of bike boxes at intersections
  • Intersections
    • increase the use of traffic circles and roundabouts at uncontrolled intersections
    • Narrow intersections to reduce pedestrian crossing lengths
    • Ensure new curbs protect vulnerable road users while still allowing handicap accessibility.
    • Petition Penn DoT to increase walk signal frequency and duration.
    • Petition Penn DoT to increase the usage of Pedestrian Scrambles.