The draft pedestrian plan came together with the input of Wilmington residents, and officials are still seeking more feedback now that it’s out. Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Deputy Director, Abby Lorenzo, said the plan’s areas of emphasis are rooted in that feedback.
"The number one response we heard from the public when asked how should we prioritize these projects, was safety, followed by equity," she said. "Making sure that we are implementing pedestrian facilities that are going to serve people who need to walk for transportation or access transit, for transportation, and then also providing connection.”
That means putting in more crosswalks, completing more sidewalks, and focusing those efforts in areas of high population density, especially for low-income areas. The WMPO also used a data analysis called the "High Injury Network" to see where the most pedestrian-involved crashes happen. Their analysis found that 50% of pedestrian involved crashes in Wilmington occurred on just 10% of roads. And since safety was a top priority for polled residents, that will be a major indicator of where high-priority interventions will occur.
Residents who attended the open house liked a lot of the proposed improvements, but some wanted to see more added to the plan — like Charlie Broadfoot, the principal at Roland-Grise middle school, who wrote a sticky note for one map that focused on putting a safe crossing at Lake Avenue and College Road.
"I always want our students to be safe," he said. "I want to look at how we can best make that a safe crosswalk not just for our students but for all the citizens that use long leaf Park from Lake Avenue.”
He added that the crossing should probably be a bridge or tunnel, to truly keep pedestrians away from traffic.
Other attendees focused on Oleander or other major thoroughfares. The plan also emphasizes pedestrian crossings on Market, which is Wilmington’s deadliest street.
The plan is taking comments through February 20 and could determine which projects are prioritized. But all projects require funding to be completed, and with budget overruns on similar city projects and an aborted ¼-cent sales tax for transit, funding remains an open question.
Residents can submit comments here.
