To examine San Francisco MTA Masonic Avenue pedestrian accidents
Posted on Thursday, may 12, 2011
Late last week, was injured by a drunk driver to Masonic Avenue and Turk Street 61-year-old James Hudson, San Francisco, deadly. The suspect, San Francisco County Sheriff's Department Cadet José Jiménez, was arrested on charges of astronaut homicide, influence, and the attempt to flee the scene drive under the. The pedestrian accident marked a worrying trend that Masonic Avenue is dangerous and the city must contain steps to improving pedestrian safety show. The San Francisco municipal transportation agency meeting on Friday discuss a popular $20 million plan to make safer Masonic Avenue.
The behavior of the driver on the Masonic Avenue in the last year to two pedestrians dead and many more injured contributed. In August last year, Yannick was killed by a drunk driver, 22-year-old tourist Nils left in a bicycle accident on Freemasons and Turk. And even since last Friday fatal accident pedestrians, Masonic Avenue finds instead two traffic accidents. Tuesday morning a driver ran a red light on the Masonic and Hayes, accident, causing both drivers with minor injuries. And on Saturday May 7, a driver ran a red light and a motorcycle accident at 60 miles per hour. As an eye-witness bike Europe said "The motorcycle ran directly into the side of the car, and flew over 15 metres into the air." His shoe actually flew, and all about the intersection, landed right by me. The bike only exploded, amounted to a total. "
One of the problems is Masonic Avenue width that feel driver makes easily from more than 25 miles per hour speed limit and treating the city street as a highway. On Friday, the San Francisco MTA discuss the 20 million dollar Boulevard plan, developed with the help of safety organizations and neighborhood residents, to the reduce speeds and Masonic Avenue is narrower. Visit the SFMTA Masonic Avenue Street redesign study [PDF] for more information about the Boulevard plan.
San Francisco has undertaken to address increasing pedestrian accidents for years, but progress has been slow. "We are very frustrated with the progress in the Masonic Avenue," said North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association President Jarie Bolander. "It just seems certain not to the focus of the city on the things for pedestrians on Freemasons."This is why people were so the Boulevard plan to support neighborhood. Officials of the city including police captain Dennis O'Leary, city Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, District 1 supervisor Eric Mar and district 5 supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, have approved the Boulevard plan for Masonic Avenue.
Calling of Masonic "tragically unsafe", Elizabeth wrote Stampe, executive Director of the pedestrian safety organization WalkSF a passionate letter to the SFMTA to support the proposal of the Boulevard. "In our city, 100 people seriously injured or killed each year," she wrote. "One of the most powerful things we can do, to change this is to reduce traffic speeds on our arterial roads such as Freemason." "This wide fast roads are where the worst crashes occur and where we have the greatest potential to save lives."
Photo credit: crazbabe21
San Francisco pedestrian accident death proves need for Masonic Avenue security plan
Posted on Tuesday, may 10th, 2011
Last Friday, 61-year-old James Hudson was by a drunk driver during San Francisco's Masonic cross Avenue, one of the city killed busiest and most dangerous arteries. The suspect, 23-year-old José Jiménez who drove 25 mph, more than 50 miles per hour in a zone is expected, that this week with astronaut homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol are charged. Masonic Avenue is one of San Francisco's most notorious pedestrian accident hot spots, and last week death indicates the city obligation, to take important steps to make safer to reduce future deaths.
Hudson's death marked the second Masonic Avenue death in less than a year. Last August, 22-year-old Nils Yannick left a bicycle accident on Freemasons and Turk from another drunken driver died. Left tragic death of the urgent need, San Francisco has become a symbol safer streets. In addition to pedestrian accident deaths is Masonic Avenue responsible for many other accident injuries. Last month, 30 miles per hour was of a car, for example, a young Jogger go blue. The accident sent her through the air and fly in the hospital with a broken leg. SFWeekly rode a tandem bicycle with his daughter reporter Matt Smith when he was taken almost in the same accident.
San Francisco is often praised as a pedestrian friendly city. But a number of high traffic such as Masonic Avenue, Geary Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue have suspended as incredibly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. "The acceleration on Masonic is out of control," said UCSF nurse Annika Ehrlich. "This is a neighborhood with families and children, but drivers handle such as a highway."
The San Francisco municipal transportation agency has planned a whole city pedestrian safety plan, with improvements for Masonic Avenue, for months. And on Friday, the Agency should take to details to improve security, to discuss habitability and transport. Design, was a proposed plan, the $20 million "Boulevard" by an eclectic group of city agencies, citizens and community organizations developed.
The Boulevard plan would certainly improve safety on San Francisco's Masonic Avenue. But improved security measures must be accompanied by a promise under city drivers to drive more slowly and remain aware of pedestrians and cyclists.
Photo credit: AlexChoi
