Like many parents in our neighborhood, each day begins with the simple act of walking our 4-year-old daughter across W. 9th St. to her school. Yet, this daily routine is fraught with fear as we witness, time and again, drivers who fail to yield, or even worse, speed up as we cross. We've watched as other parents and their children have been subject to these same dangers - a clear, persistent threat to the safety of all.

It pains me to remember a time in my own past when a similar plea for safety was made. The street where I grew up was a speeding hotspot, and despite frequent accidents involving pets & local wildlife, our pleas for the installation of a stop sign were ignored. Not until a heartbreaking tragedy occurred—a 13-year-old girl riding her bicycle was struck and killed—did the community finally get the stop sign we'd been desperately asking for. We cannot allow another tragedy to be the catalyst for change.

According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, intersections with stop signs demonstrated a 39% decrease in all crashes and a 56% decrease in fatal crashes. In addition, pedestrian-involved crashes declined by 75%. Above all else, the safety of our children and community members is paramount. We cannot wait for another devastating event to prompt essential safety measures.

Please support this petition to have a crosswalk and stop sign installed at the intersection of Princevalle St & W. 9th St. A small change today can prevent an irreversible loss tomorrow. Sign to protect our children and make our neighborhood a safer place for all.