April 30, 2019
Fairhill Slow Zone Meeting
HACE’s Neighborhood Advisory Subcommittee has been thrilled that our Fairhill Slow Zone focus area (2nd Street (east), 5th Street (west), Glenwood Avenue (north), and Allegheny Avenue (south) was one of two selected from among twenty-eight (28) submissions citywide, along with Willard Elementary. HACE’s NAS selected this area for its many assets that attract young children, older adults, and families, all of whom stand to benefit from traffic calming treatments in the area. We collaboratively collected over 450 signatures from residents and patrons of the proposed service area in support of Neighborhood Slow Zone interventions to calm traffic, increase visibility, and make the area more walkable. The Fairhill Slow Zone application also received Support Letters from Luis Muñoz Marin Elementary School, Maria de los Santos Health Center, APM, Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sanchez, and HACE’s RCO speaking to the demonstrated need and desire for these safety enhancements.
Prior to the Slow Zone award announcements (February 25th, 2019), HACE was invited to participate on a panel at the annual Vision Zero Conference (03/16/2019) regarding Listening Sessions and how community engagement can be better incorporated into street improvement planning and implementation. This served as a timely opportunity to celebrate this neighborhood victory. We are enthusiastic about how listening sessions paired with outlets for action can serve as a springboard for resident advocacy surrounding quality of life issues. We also believe that when the data demonstrates disparities in issues of safety and quality of life, decision makers have an opportunity to be more proactive in seeking perspective from affected residents and developing thoughtful responses to the issues.
HACE is working with the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability to host Fairhill Slow Zone Planning Meetings on the following dates:
- Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 (4:00pm-6:30pm at 167 W. Allegheny Avenue)
- Wednesday, April 10th (5:30pm-7:00pm at 167 W. Allegheny Avenue)
- Wednesday, June 12th, 2019 (5:30pm-7:00pm at Rivera Recreation Center, 3201 N. 5th Street)
- Wednesday, July 10th, 2019 (5:30pm-7:00pm at Rivera Recreation Center, 3201 N. 5th Street)
All are invited to support the design process at these meetings. We look forward to bringing community members together to assess existing conditions and develop solutions that will be complete by September 2021.
