Lexington using new tactics to encourage pedestrian safety

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Pedestrian safety is a growing concern in Lexington.

According to the city, so far this year, seven walkers have been killed on city streets, just shy of the ten killed in 2008 and 2016, both record highs.

The city wants to see those numbers drop.

The city of Lexington is sending a message to it’s pedestrians, “heads up, you’re worth it”, one of the many different saying posted around the city on signal boxes that face the sidewalk.

“They are at every intersection across the city and they are usually just grey blank space.”

This fall, the city used specially designed wraps to decorate eight large silver signal cabinets at key intersections turning those boxes into public service announcements.

The messages posted on these boxes are a part of city’s safe streets initiative educating pedestrians on safety.

“Everybody needs to pay attention to their surroundings and a lot of people are on their phone when they are walking around, while there has been a lot of conversation about not texting and driving there hasn’t been enough conversation about not walking and texting.”

Jordan Brennan crosses Main Street everyday for lunch, and after  seeing the box, she says it made her think.

“I mean it doesn’t help that I don’t pay attention when I am walking but I dont think the drivers pay attention when they are driving.”

After almost getting hit several times, she hopes the message will bring awareness to both walkers and drivers.

“There is defensive driving and there is defensive driving classes, we want people to walk defensively and cycle defensively and pay attention to their surroundings.”