ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Some state lawmakers say they're eager to hear Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan's plan to keep pedestrians safe. They say it's taken too long for the city to use thousands of dollars in state money to slow down traffic near parks and schools.
A pair of Anchorage Democrats, Sen. Bill Wielechowski and Rep. Pete Petersen, say they worked hard to provide about $500,000 for traffic calming measures in Anchorage -- but now they say they feel like the funds are being ignored.
Traffic calming can take the form of a speed bump, a raised intersection, or a narrow, colored crosswalk like the one in front of Wonder Park Elementary School in East Anchorage. The idea is to get drivers' attention and remind them to slow down, but Wielechowski says it's not enough.
"Right here we have people regularly driving 40 or 50 mph when there are kids on the street. (It's) very dangerous, the neighbors complain about it, the school complains about it," Wielechowski said while near the school.
