Short Summary: 

My child got struck by a car off Vine St. We are encouraging the city to adopt traffic calming measures around the city to help make streets safer for all throughout West Des Moines. Continue for details, please sign to support. You may also attend the July 20th City Council meeting at 5:30pm to show support when signatures are presented. 

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My heart sank when my husband came into the house and let me know my child had been hit by a vehicle near our home in West Des Moines. At the intersection of 22nd  St & Vine St a car struck my child on his bike (just bought a cool new one with gears 2 hours prior) while he was crossing the intersection. We were lucky and this was the best case scenario in this instance.  The driver misread the interaction and caused very minimal damage (scrapped elbows and minimal damage to the front of his bike). As someone that lives just a few houses down from this intersection though, I fully understand just how lucky we were to have this driver be the one driving because we see hundreds of cars pass down Vine Street, going 10+ mph over the speed limit, coasting through intersections, not watching for pedestrians, and kids on e-bikes that are traveling far too fast; the driver was not doing any of these things and the intersection was still not a safe place for a child.  Many neighbors have had very close calls, or avoid this area because of these dangers. The thought of my child suffering due to inadequate road design and safety measures is something no parent should have to endure. This unfortunate incident has ignited a passion within me to ensure no other parent or child experiences such trauma; this includes the young driver and my son on his bike. 

West Des Moines is a vibrant community where families thrive, but our infrastructure is not keeping pace with the growth and needs of our residents. Many of our streets and intersections have become hazards rather than safe passageways for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. According to recent studies, pedestrian accidents are on the rise in urban areas due to poor infrastructure and inadequate safety features. Already this year there have been over 500 incidents on roads in West Des Moines. To protect our loved ones, we must advocate for change.

I am urging the city council and city planners of West Des Moines to take immediate action to evaluate and revamp our current street and intersection infrastructures. We need to utilize the 3 big reasons spaces become safer: deflection, constriction, and friction, all meant to calm traffic. These need to be implemented in areas like 22nd & Vine, 23rd St & Ashworth, Vine St & Grand Ave, areas going down EP True Pkwy or 50th street, 4th St between Grand and Ashworth, and many more. 

Deflection is changing the path and calming traffic through either vertical or horizontal deflection. Examples of vertical are speed bumps, but these can cause traffic to speed up after to make up for lost time from slowing for the obstacle. Horizontal deflection is a great option in the city by creating wider turns with simple barriers and paint, doing lane shifts, and adding tiny traffic circles, all in hopes of slowing vehicles by forcing them to move around things and to pay attention to the road better. 

Constriction is a really great way to help create safer spaces for pedestrians and vehicles. Constricting roadways by adding protected bike lanes, adding curb extensions, or using less lanes on roads. The idea is to take space in the road and make it more useful for everyone, remembering that wider lanes creates faster driving, constricting lanes naturally slows vehicles without impeding travel. You don't always have to reduce traffic going through a space but just the amount of space that encourages speeding for the traffic that does come through. 

Friction when utilized properly simply shows that humans live and thrive in the area. We need to slow traffic by increasing the driver's perception of complexity, activity, or enclosure, encouraging more cautious speeds. Trees and benches that come up to the road can create visual friction.  Painted intersections slow drivers. None of these stop a car, but create a visual complexity that tells your brain that people live here. The idea is to make dangerous driving uncomfortable. 

The implementation of improved infrastructure is not only a safety measure but also an investment in the quality of life of our community. Safe streets encourage more foot traffic, which benefits local businesses and fosters a sense of neighborhood togetherness. Many of these ideas can even brighten our city as seen in the photo at the top of this petition. It is imperative that the city officials listen to the concerns of their residents and prioritize the safety of all who live and work here. We can easily utilize programs like Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program to help implement these ideas with little to no cost to tax payers. 

I call on every concerned citizen of West Des Moines to stand with me and voice our shared demand for safer streets. Sign this petition to insist that the city addresses these urgent issues before more lives are disrupted and more families face the unimaginable. I will present this petition with signatures at the July 20th City Council Meeting (5:30 pm at city hall), please feel free to come show support in person.

Sign this petition and let’s make West Des Moines a safer place for all.