Link to full story in the Chicago Sun-Times
Recently, the long-running Japanese TV show “Old Enough,” where preschool-age children run their first errand, has gained worldwide attention. I often watch the show while eating dinner, excitedly anticipating whether Ryuta will grab the correct size diapers at the drugstore. As an American who grew up on a suburban street of single-family homes with no sidewalks and few nearby stores, the Japanese reality is engrossing and eye-opening.
Unlike the Japanese children in “Old Enough,” who navigate their way to downtown shopping centers with ease, Chicago children are not safe even in their own neighborhoods. On Aug. 10, Taha Khan, age 5, was struck and killed outside his home by two separate drivers. Sadly, the carnage on our streets is by design.
The speed limit on Taha’s street, Cicero Avenue, is 35 miles per hour. The road is 60 feet wide. There are no crosswalks for a quarter mile. In “Old Enough,” children often walk along, and even cross, busy roads, but the speed limit is typically 20 miles per hour, and the roads are a fraction of the width. Amazingly, drivers even stop when the children raise their hand, indicating their intent to cross.
Unfortunately, thanks to car-centric street design, the reckless driving that design encourages and lax-to-nonexistent traffic enforcement, the risk to pedestrians and cyclists does not cease with age. In Chicago, no one is “old enough.” No amount of age nor wisdom could have saved Concepcion Lopez, age 82, who was killed by a BMW driver while waiting for her bus. Peter Paquette, age 75, likely looked both ways before being struck and killed while crossing the street.
Fortunately, our streets can and should evolve over time to meet the needs of our communities. Cities around the world are reimagining streets to be less car-centric, with incredible results. Safe streets support the local economy, let more people live close to services and amenities, and foster community.
Chicago needs leaders who are willing and able to design human-centered streets that are safe and vibrant. I do not expect 4-year olds to be running errands to Home Depot or Mariano’s anytime soon, but safe routes to school, lower speed limits, and traffic calming barriers are simple, popular and effective ways to start.
Robert Spragg is a co-Lead for the Illinois chapter of Urban Environmentalists