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Letters
| From: | DC |
|---|---|
| To: | Representative Dally |
| Date: | Saturday, 11/12/05 |
| Subject: | Death of a Child |
Dear Hon. Dally,
We need your help.
How can you help us make our streets safer for our children?
Please advise!
Doris Correll,
Concerned Citizen, Taxpayer, Parent,
and neighbor of this red-headed angel!
For the Love of Liz...
Serious accidents and fatalities have steadily increased on
Freemansburg Avenue in Bethlehem Township, PA since the
construction of Route 33 and Southmont Mall. On 9/23/05, the
tragic death of a fourteen-year-old girl coming home from high
school has magnified the escalating problem. Children are being
hurt and now, even killed in our community. We must demand that
our elected officials act to ensure our community's safety.
That sunny Friday afternoon, a senseless accident took the life
of a happy, vibrant, 14 year old girl, Elizabeth Shine. She was
a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a band member,
and a good friend to all who knew her. She was also one of the
many unfortunate pedestrians and motorists who have had an
accident on Freemansburg Avenue. Tragically, Lizzy’s accident was
fatal.
Many of us who live near this highway anticipated that with the
construction of Route 33, the corridor between 8th and 11th
Streets on Freemansburg Avenue would someday be the scene of
tragedy. Our worse fear has become an awful reality. This
horrible reality must serve as a catalyst for neighbors and all
concerned citizens to petition the state and local officials to
act and act now before another life is lost. Pedestrian
crosswalks with visible lines, reduced speed signage with
diligent police enforcement, and/or traffic lights are essential
to ensure our safety, but most importantly, our children's
safety. As a community, we must stand united to move our elected
officials into action. Commissioners may say there are no funds,
but I say what is money when our children's lives are at stake.
The Bethlehem Township has made considerable accommodations for
many new industries and businesses that have made the township
their home. Additionally, the township has approved the
construction of numerous housing developments and even more
businesses, yet has anyone done anything to modernize our archaic
roads to handle the increased traffic?
As a child, I moved to Freemansburg Avenue in 1968 with my
parents and currently live two blocks away with my family. Since
then Freemansburg Avenue, with the exception to Route 33, has not
changed significantly to support the increased traffic from
housing developments, which are spouting up like corn stalks on
what were once farmers’ fields. The same 20th century roads, as
I remember them as a child, still exist in the 21st century.
It is time to invest in making our township community as safe as
possible. Let us leave Lizzy’s legacy to be one of making her
neighborhood a safer one. Let’s not sweep the needs of our
community under the rug. Let’s not blame “lack of funds” for the
“lack of action” or “lack of commitment” to our kids. You choose
– do something or do nothing! Please sign this petition to help
make Freemansburg Avenue safer,
for the LOVE of LIZ!
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/For_the_Love_of_Liz/
I agree that our elected state and local officials need to
keep our children safe. Freemansburg Avenue is becoming a more
dangerous highway as more and more housing developments and
businesses are constructed. Please develop a local traffic
advisory committee to effectively implement traffic calming
measures in our neighborhood. Both PennDot and the Pennsylvania
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Handbook provide guides for PA
municipalities to set up plans for creating safer streets. We
CAN make a difference.
http://www.students.bucknell.edu/projects/trafficcalming/Employ/TCPexamples.html#1