Emanuel Pushes Ordinance To Enforce Right Of Way For Pedestrians
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing a new ordinance that might make it easier and safer to walk around downtown Chicago.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's David Roe reports, the ordinance amounts to a crackdown on drivers. It would require them to come to a complete stop whenever a pedestrian is crossing a street, even if there is no traffic signal or stop sign, the Chicago Sun-Times explained.
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Emanuel says the ordinance will clarify the city's safety laws to provide better protection for pedestrians, the newspaper reported. It would also launch a safety awareness campaign that would include "temporary awareness signs" on the roadway to promote safety around pedestrians, the newspaper reported.
The city plans to unveil the plan later this summer.
Police have mounted campaigns previously to catch those who fail to stop for pedestrians at crosswalks. For one example, on Clark Street at Deming Place in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, the roadway is painted to warn of approaching pedestrians, and undercover officers have posed as pedestrians to catch motorists who plow through without stopping.
