Polk County in Florida has skilled a surge in automobiles on its roads lately. The build up in site visitors has ended in issues about public protection, prompting the county government to begin measures aimed toward bettering pedestrian protection at the roads. Neil Combee, Polk County Commissioner for District 5, said that the county is rising too speedy, and its roads are overcrowded with site visitors. As a outcome, sensible steps are essential to fortify protection precautions when and the place imaginable.
A pedestrian protection ordinance has been unanimously handed through Polk County’s Board of County Commissioners. Under this new ordinance, pedestrians aren’t allowed to linger in medians or interact with drivers. The act of status or strolling in the median may just outcome in rear-end collisions, which places lives in threat. Any pedestrian discovered in the median face fines of as much as $500, whilst third-time offenders may just serve jail time for as much as 60 days.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has initiated a grace length of 30 days all the way through which people in contravention of the ordinance will obtain warnings.
Organizations advocating for the homeless neighborhood are nervous that panhandlers might be adversely affected. Bridget Engleman, the Executive Director of Homeless Coalition of Polk County, said that almost all of the ones status in medians are individuals who can slightly make ends meet. They worry that non-payment of fines will outcome in the buildup of unpaid civil charges and probably result in a handful of homeless citizens in Polk County.
The County Commissioner emphasised that the measure isn’t supposed to inhibit panhandling however is designed to cut back the selection of street injuries and accidents in Polk County. On reasonable, the county data 83 pedestrian fatalities or accidents every 12 months. The Polk County Transportation Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation have each collaborated to undertake the Vision Zero Action Plan, running to make certain that there are not more pedestrian fatalities at the streets of Polk County.