If you’re a complete streets advocate, this case in Maryland should definitely be on your radar screen.
According to the Washington Post, a Circuit Court civil jury found the state of Maryland liable in the 2008 death of a woman who was killed while walking on stretch of road that did not have a sidewalk or guard rails.
Here’s more from the Post:
Terrell N. Roberts III, the attorney who represented Smith’s family in the lawsuit, told jurors that the accident was preventable. On the block that Smith and Jones were walking, there is a sidewalk at both ends of the street — but also a gap of about 200 feet where there is no sidewalk or guard rails. The two victims were struck as they walked in that section.
Roberts told jurors that state officials should have provided a sidewalk, guard rails, or a combination to improve safety for pedestrians.
Advocates are often told that installing sidewalks is too expensive; but this case shows that it’s in a state’s best financial and legal interest to make sure roadways are accessible and safe for all users — not just those traveling by car.