If you’ve ever had to figure out how to get over a mound of snow pushed by plows onto paths crossing intersections, this news might appeal to you.
Montgomery County, Maryland’s new Shovel Our Sidewalks Act requires the county’s Department of Transportation to clear snow from sidewalks in its Equity Emphasis Areas.
The legislation was passed unanimously by the county council on Tuesday.
According to a news release, Equity Emphasis Areas are small geographic areas that contain higher levels of transit-dependent communities and communities with lower-income residents.
“It’s no coincidence that our lower income communities also have higher rates of pedestrians and transit ridership, which requires residents to navigate dangerous snow-covered sidewalks while walking to their bus stop,” Council Vice President Evan Glass said in a statement.
“By taking a more active role in sidewalk snow removal, we will increase pedestrian safety and be one step closer to achieving our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities by 2030,” he said.
It’s common for piled up snow on sidewalks to force people to walk in the road along busy roads in the target areas such as Georgia Avenue, Wisconsin Avenue, Briggs Chaney Road, Randolph Road, Veirs Mill Road and Middlebrook Road. It can also become an obstacle for pedestrians until it melts.
In 2021, 10 people died after being hit by vehicles in the county. There were 480 such encounters in which people survived.
