Title/Name/Summary
Ordinance Prohibiting Pedestrian Activities within Public Roadways in order to regulate the use of roadway medians to ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists
History
Rising community concerns are being voiced about the dangers presented by the increased incidence of people in the middle of roadways. While pedestrian traffic fatalities since the pandemic remain elevated, actions taken by states and municipalities to reduce incidents with people walking on U.S. roadways are showing signs of success.
The Governors Highway Safety Association’s (GHSA) annual “Spotlight on Highway Safety” provides information on state and national trends in pedestrian traffic deaths for 2023 based on preliminary data provided by State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs). The data analysis found that 29 states had fewer pedestrian deaths in 2023 compared to the year before, while 21 (plus Washington, D.C.) had more. Illinois is unfortunately among those states with more fatalities.
The GHSA report includes an in-depth analysis of 2022 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System that confirms trends indicating more people on foot are being killed at night in areas other than sidewalks, particularly by sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks. The GHSA report additionally states that since 2010, pedestrian deaths have increased by 77 percent, compared to a 22 percent rise in all other traffic fatalities and that this combination of factors creates this deadly situation for people walking on U.S. roadways.
The attached proposed ordinance prohibiting pedestrians from using roadway medians is narrowly focused to address the objective dangers presented when individuals seek to interact with drivers from the narrow roadway medians separating multiple, active traffic lanes.
Currently, Section 7-5-13 of the Orland Park Village Code includes provisions requiring pedestrians to obtain a permit to request the...
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