Leawood criticized for encouraging speed, discouraging walking

Brent Hugh recently wrote an article for Kansas City infoZine criticizing statements made by a Leawood police supervisor in a Kansas City Star article:

A Leawood police supervisor recently told the Kansas City Star that people speeding on a residential street, scaring pedestrians who must walk in the street because the city has not provided a sidewalk, is "not a big problem". . . .

Hogard said because there are no sidewalks, residents walk in the street.

"When standing three or four feet from (a car), it's going to seem like it's flying by," Hogard said.

The road in question is a narrow, residential street where, because the city has failed to provide a sidewalk, pedestrians must share the roadway with motor vehicles. In such a situation, a vehicle going over 30 miles per hour does not just "seem like it's flying by." It is, in fact, moving at a dangerously fast speed. . . .

Pedestrians are among our most vulnerable road users, and, as such, demand the greatest degree of protection and consideration, not the greatest degree of intimidation, harassment, and discouragement.

It is not too much to ask that motorists strictly obey the posted speed limit in order to make an entire street more pedestrian-friendly.

And it is certainly not in the public interest to dismiss a serious situation in which most vehicle drivers are unlawfully breaking posted speed limits--many by five to ten miles per hour--as "not a big problem."