Pedestrians in danger

Several weeks ago, I wrote a letter to the editor expressing my concern as a pedestrian who daily walks from my remote parking space downtown to my office building. I have come close to being hit several times by cars turning right but ignoring “Walk” signs. I constantly have to dodge cars during evening rush hour because a crosswalk is blocked by impatient or oblivious drivers. At the end of my letter, I added, “I don’t want my obituary to read, ‘She was mowed down while crossing Capitol and Broadway’.”

Sadly, Monday a woman died after she was hit on the sidewalk at Sixth and Broadway when two cars collided. Let that sink in for a moment. She was standing on the sidewalk.

I can’t stop thinking about her. Was she one of the many downtown workers who walk to lunch or park in lots several blocks from their workplaces? Did she come downtown for an appointment or to meet a friend for lunch? Who was waiting for her?

My daily route doesn’t take me to Sixth and Broadway, but I have walked across that intersection many times when going to meetings or to lunch. Every day, I stand on sidewalks patiently (impatiently when it’s raining or 20 degrees) waiting for the light to change and watching for red-light runners before crossing Broadway. I thought I was safe on sidewalks until now. I imagine the victim of Monday’s crash thought so too.

SARAH RICARD

Little Rock