
Do you think seeing Las Vegas police riding buses while delivering safety message to bus riders will help?
They sure hope it will.
In the wake of numerous deadly accidents involving pedestrians at bus stops and other locations throughout the valley, police are stepping in to try to stop the downward spiral and are focusing their efforts on people that ride the buses.
Apparently, bus riders frequently cross outside of clearly marked crosswalks, placing them in imminent danger as they walk out in front of traffic.
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Part of that might be true. Just the other day, I was driving on Eastern Avenue and a person waiting for the bus decided to sit on the curb with his legs sticking out. I thought to myself, “How incredibly stupid”.
In their quest to promote pedestrian safety, officers with the LVMPD will ride buses while chatting up the passengers, educating them and handing out informational material.
Perhaps these measures will help in increasing bus rider safety since something needs to be done.
But that’s really only half of the equation.
What really needs to happen is that we ensure that the CAT bus stop enclosures and bus shelters are revamped. There are a number of shelters in high traffic areas that are simply too close to the curb.
You clearly see it throughout the valley. It is evident that many of the shelters are simply too close to the street, placing pedestrians waiting for the buses in very real danger. In many of the bus stops, there is no where else for them to stand.
Driving in nearly all sections of town, I see it time and time again. In the areas where there is room, people waiting for the bus will stand behind the bus shelters because they simply do not feel safe.
While it is a step in the right direction, Las Vegas police riding buses while delivering safety messages to bus riders is not all that needs to be done.
There is still much more that needs to be done officially to ensure pedestrian safety.