El Paso should take pedestrian safety more seriously
Pedestrian safety is something El Paso should take more seriously, especially around busy streets, bus stops and crosswalks.
There are many areas where people must cross several lanes of traffic just to get to a store, a bus stop, or another part of their neighborhood. As someone who lives in El Paso, I think our streets should feel safe for people walking, not only for people driving.
In a recent El Paso Timescolumn, Matthew Kayser explains that parked vehicles and buses can block a pedestrian’s view of traffic and can also make it harder for drivers to see people near the curb. He also points out that El Paso has been part of a Texas A&M Transportation Institute project connected to TXDOT that examined pedestrian risks near bus stops. This shows
that pedestrian safety is already a recognized concern in our community.
I believe the city can do more to prevent accidents before they happen. Adding brighter lighting, clearer crosswalk markings, and better signs could help both drivers and pedestrians. The city should also look more closely at bus stops located near busy intersections or streets that are difficult to cross. Drivers also need to slow down and pay closer attention, especially in areas where people are likely to be walking.
No one should feel unsafe just trying to cross the street in their own community. El Paso continues to grow, and our streets should become safer along with it. I would like to see city leaders and transportation officials continue improving crosswalks, visibility, and pedestrian safety in areas where people are more at risk. These changes could help prevent injuries and make our community safer for everyone.
Kristy Coss
Northwest El Paso
Schools shouldn't just ask for your suggestions, they should listen to them
Are the children safe in our schools? Schools are always promoting safety but seem to have no clue what to do when something actually happens. Just recently, there was a stabbing outside Americas High School which left 3 young kids wondering if they will live to play another day. It seems to me parents are rushing to schools more for the safety of their child than trusting the reliability of the school systems.
The school shouldn't just ask for your suggestions; they should listen to them, make the changes, and keep them at the top of their priority. One solution could be to provide repetitive hands-on training for the teachers and staff. Hands-on training is important because it keeps them engaged, unlike LinkedIn videos, where one can simply skip over the video and guess the questions correctly until one passes the course. Also, schools should follow up with students who have had problems in the past, to make sure their issues have subsided to prevent any further issues.
This is a call for help as a student who has experienced these issues personally. I hope you look into this matter with the utmost priority to help the future generations feel more comfortable leaving their children with our schools. This is our call for help, please help us.
Brandon Valdez
Lower Valley
Drinking fountains at city parks, please
Just a simple request to the city of El Paso, drinking fountains at city parks, please! In my own neighborhood of Sunrise Acres, we have a popular park with pricey basketball, pickleball, and tennis courts. But not a single fountain to hydrate participants or folks jogging by, walking their dog, etc. A logical and obvious gift adding to the quality of life for the residents of our fine city please.
David Ghent
Northeast El Paso
Animal agriculture a major contributor to climate change, time for action
“Hundreds feared dead in devastating Nepal flood” are the latest in what seem to be almost daily reports of severe climate events.
Climate change is increasing the likelihood and severity of many extreme weather events, underscoring the need for much stronger preventive action.
Animal agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, an existential global threat. Cattle emit large quantities of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas, while enormous amounts of land are devoted to grazing and growing animal feed. Reducing consumption of animal products would enable significant reforestation. The increase in carbon-absorbing trees would reduce the current hazardous level of atmospheric CO2 to a much safer level.
It’s time for action.
Ryan Gillbert
East El Paso
Vote for the person, not a party
I never thought I’d see anything good come from Ken Paxton and his run for the Senate, but I found something. He is such a controversial candidate that many lifelong Republicans are re-evaluating their allegiance and seriously considering a Democratic vote.
The notion of voting for a person and not a party is something we all should take to heart. There are good people with good ideas in both parties. There are also bad ones. We should not feel compelled to vote for a bad candidate simply based on party affiliation or some sense of obligation. That’s what got us into this mess in the first place.
David Seay
Plano, Texas
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: LETTERS: El Paso must take pedestrian safety more seriously
