The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is holding several hearings throughout the city and at the Harold Washington Library to collect input for their Pedestrian Plan. This innovative document, a first of its kind, will be a roadmap for making the city a safer and easier place to walk. The goal is to reduce pedestrian injuries by half and fatalities by one hundred percent. Hyde Park OWLs Marcia Trawinski, Allison Hartman and Susan Alitto have attended one or more of the first three sessions. We strongly encourage you to attend a remaining session if at all possible. CDOT is sharing important information for pedestrians and your input is important for shaping the final plan. July 27 Rainbow Beach Field House, Gymnasium Enter from 75th Street or 79th Street 3111 E. 77th Street 6 - 8 pm August 10 Truman College Cafeteria 1145 W. Wilson Avenue 6 - 8 pm August 24 Harold Washington Library 400 S. State St. 11:30 am To register, email rsvp@chicagopedestrianplan.org. Or call: 773-305-0800. At the sessions, CDOT asks community members to identify pedestrian problem spots. They promise to incorporate our input into their draft and to have an action plan by the end of the year. Participants also learn about the various strategies for making foot travel safer: countdown walk signals, pedestrian refuge islands, bump-out curb extensions to shorten crossing distances, "road diets" which slim streets from four to three lanes, fewer right-on-red intersections, and traffic signals that give pedestrians a three-to-five-second head start before cars get the green. In addition the city is considering pedestrian scramble intersections where motorized traffic stops completely for 14 seconds, allowing walkers to cross in all directions, including diagonally, at the same time. OWL is among the community organizations hosting an information table at the sessions. If you are interested in attending and/or are available to help staff the OWL information table, please contact Susan Alitto, 773-752-6587. By Susan Alitto Reprinted with modifications from the Hyde Park OWL newsletter.