Petition to City of Morgantown to temporarily close neighborhood streets - Bikeboard

6 Jun 2020


      Greetings friends -This is for City residents only.
I have been engaging in discussions with my City Council rep, Rachel Fetty, and with our good friends Drew Gatlin & Damien Davis with City Engineering about this. To support their efforts and take this city-wide, I have created an online petition asking the City of Morgantown to immediately institute a "Healthy Streets" program to temporarily close non-arterial streets ("neighborhood streets") to thru traffic. This would provide space on streets for the free flow of bicyclists, runners, and walkers at a 6' distance, and for safe play by neighborhood children without the fear of heavy traffic - while still allowing vehicular use by residents and essential vehicles (USPS, contractors, etc). I think we all recognize the need for more places to ride and exercise. We have seen an increase in rail-trail traffic, according to our infrared sensor counts, in nearly all locations compared with 2019. In some, like Van Voorhis and Mellons Chapel, we have seen a doubling of trail traffic (even with the WVU students not in town)!
Dozens upon dozens of larger cities are doing this around the country. I'd like to see Morgantown join in. And I hope you do too.
The URL to the petition is https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/healthy-streets-morgantown
If you support this effort, please sign the petition and forward to as many City residents as possible, Facebook it, Tweet it, tell your neighbors and your City Council representative.
I'm happy to address any questions or concerns. Christiaan Abildso
Here's the full text of the petition:---MORGANTOWN MAYOR KAWECKI, CITY COUNCIL, MANAGER, AND ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Why is this important?   
   - During the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders sidewalks are increasingly be used by runners, walkers, and bicyclists of all ages.
   - Maintaining safe 6-foot distancing is impossible when passing without a pedestrian or runner moving off the sidewalk and into or across the street.
   - Many of the properties in our urban neighborhoods lack large yards to play in, pushing children out onto sidewalks, driveways, and street for play as well.
   - This summer, because of camp, sports, and travel cancellations, our children will be home more often. They will likely continue to take over the street and sidewalks to play.
To: Morgantown Mayor Kawecki, City Council, Manager, and Engineering Department
From: Christiaan Abildso
I urge the City of Morgantown to immediately create an emergency “Healthy Streets” program to enable safe physical activity and exercise on neighborhood streets during the COVID-19 pandemic in every Morgantown neighborhood. This program will prioritize safe, socially-distanced walking, running, and bicycling on non-arterial, neighborhood streets in all City Council districts while still allowing access for local traffic.
I also call for the City to consider implementing the following measures to address walking and bicycling safety downtown to support local businesses:
· Create temporary bicycle lanes Spruce by eliminating vehicle traffic in the lefthand-most travel lane
· Allow for outdoor dining and safe social distancing on High Street by eliminating on-street parking and creating a buffer from traffic
· Disable pedestrian push buttons at intersections and automate crossing phases to eliminate the need to touch surfaces, while still catering for the needs of those with disabilities
· Implement Lead Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) at all signalized crossings
· Re-time traffic lights citywide to discourage speeding and reduce pedestrian crowding at intersections