An example of the aftermath of an accident on Dale Drive. Photo by Julie Englund.
The Dale Drive Safety Coalition is sponsoring a safety walk along the roadway on Sunday to demonstrate the need to improve the road for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
The walk will begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 20 at 1401 Dale Dr. (intersection of Dale Drive and Crosby Road), though participants are asked to sign in beginning at 10:15, according to a press release from Corinne Hart, co-chair of the coalition.
Participants will walk along Dale Drive to Midwood Road, turning back on Dale to Luzerne Avenue and then returning to the starting point.
Safety vests will be available, but organizers also ask that walkers wear bright yellow or orange clothing.
The walk will last approximately 30 minutes and will be followed by a brunch reception at 1401 Dale Dr., for which attendees should RSVP.
The purpose of this event, organizers said, is “to raise awareness about the dangers on Dale Drive, provide an opportunity to experience firsthand what it is like to walk on the road, showcase the widespread community support to increase safety on Dale, and highlight the commitments made by the county to implement improvements.”
The group is expecting a number of county and elected officials to join the walk, along with candidates for office.
“The Dale Drive Safety Coalition is mobilizing the community to urge the county to address persistent traffic safety issues on Dale Drive, particularly between Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue, where no traffic-calming interventions have been implemented. Hundreds of residents must walk along or cross Dale Drive to access local churches, businesses, day cares, parks, downtown Silver Spring, and transit,” Hart said.
The coalition was formed earlier this year to address concerns about speeding and reckless driving on Dale, as well as emphasize the importance of increasing safety on the entirety of the road through interventions such as lowering the speed limit and classifying Dale as a minor arterial in order to achieve the county’s Vision Zero goals.