Community activists and elected officials are set to walk a dangerous path tomorrow in Edgewood – following the route many residents have to make each day as they navigate their community.
This is also the same path where a young dancer had recently been walking when she was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing Edgewood Road.
Activist/attorney Omar Simpson is spearheading the effort to raise awareness about the treacherous path and wrote the following:
For years Edgewood residents have complained about how dangerous walking along Edgewood Road is because of the lack of sidewalks and margins. Saturday evening, Mary Saludares, only 20 years old, was hit by a car and killed on Edgewood Road. This young lady’s death should wake us all up. Kids from the Edgewood High School, Edgewood Middle School, Deerfield Elementary and Edgewood Elementary are forced to walk this dangerous route on their way to school, McDonald’s or the Rec Center every day. Something needs to be done immediately! The problem is going to get worse as our population increases due to BRAC.
Here’s Mary’s story.
In an email this week to County Executive David Craig, County Councilman Dion Guthrie and Edgewood Community Council member Jansen Robinson, Simpson explained his plan to raise awareness about the dangers of Edgewood Roads – by walking the path many youths in the community have to traverse each day.
Here is Simpson’s email:
Dear Mr. Craig, Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Robinson,
At 4pm this Wednesday, 2/25/09, I am going to walk from Deerfield Elementary School to the McDonald’s at the corner of Rt.40 and Edgewood road…The same dangerous route our kids take. ABC2 is planning on sending a news crew to cover the walk. During this walk, I will take pictures and video of the route our young ones are forced to take daily. I’m inviting you to join me on this walk and hoping that at the end of the walk one of our local ministers can say a prayer for Mary Saludares who was killed on Rt 24 Saturday and for the safety of others that have to take this route daily. Please let me know if you plan on walking with me. Thank you.
Omar J. Simpson, Esq., Attorney-at-Law
Guthrie, who indicated he intends to join Simpson for the walk, said there is already a project in the works to have landscaped sidewalks along both side of Edgewood Road from Route 24 to Willoughby Beach Road.
Although he said work has already started on the sidewalk project, Guthrie acknowledged there have been “constant bureaucratic delays.”
“It is a State project, that is why it has taken so long, however with some ‘pushing’ from me,” Guthrie wrote in an email.
How does walking from Deerfield to the McDonalds on rt. 40 relate to the death of the ballet dancer? She was struck at the intersection of 24 and Edgewood roads.
Last I checked, elementary school students don’t cross that intersection to walk to school. In fact, according to the hcps website, buses cover the entire area. Among others…
Bus 684
EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY
8:10 a.m.
Both sides of Edgewood Road from Hanson Road to Route 24. Edgewood Road from Willougby Beach Road to APG Gate west side only. APG Edgewood: Clearview Drive. Chevron Drive. Brown Street at Starr Street. McCann Street at Starr Street. Nuttal Avenue. Trimble Road from end of district to Route 755.
Don;t get me wrong, I’m all for the safety of the school children. I just don’t see how tying the unfortunate death of a 20-year old at 10:00 pm relates.
Also, it seems that they have the accident scene incorrect. Everything I’ve read states that the accident occurred at the other Edgewood Rd/Route 24 intersection where the Dennys, Exxon, Holiday Inn Express and Vitali’s restaurant are located, near Van Bibber Rd.
Steve- they can’t have a march at the intersection where the accident occurred…walking across MD24 at that intersection would be borderline suicidal.
Tongue-in-cheek aside (for now), MD24 is deemed a “controlled access highway” by the SHA. Walking on a controlled access highway is forbidden under TA 21-509.