Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez led state, county and Metro officials on a walking tour of Georgia Avenue in Wheaton in hopes of reducing pedestrian, bicyclist and vehicle crashes and deaths.
Calling Georgia Avenue one of the most dangerous roads in all of Maryland, Fani-Gonzalez urged everyone to work together and also provide funding to make the area safer.
There were five pedestrian fatalities and 51 crashes with serious injuries on Georgia Avenue, which is a state road, between 2015 to 2022, she noted.
Gov. Wes Moore and the state directors of the Department of Transportation and Commerce, along with almost every member of the county council and several state legislators joined together in a show of unity. Also on the walk were county planners and Westfield Mall representatives.
“This community is gathering together, because we want to bring change, Fani-Gonzalez said. “We want to make sure everyone who lives here can safely move around.”
WMATA Vice President Liz Price said the transportation organization has a 14-bay bus stop and a metro station in this area. WMATA has some land that they would allow to be purchased and built upon, which would bring millions of dollars in tax revenue over 30 years “if done right,” she said.
During the event, Moore vowed to make the area safer, both with short and long-term fixes, and promised to continue working with local officials.
Thankful to Mr. Henry Alvarez for hosting at his wonderful restaurant Regina’s the awesome welcome to @GovWesMoore and his team Secretaries Wiedefeld and Anderson. pic.twitter.com/pQLaaU2eSz
— Natali Fani-González (@NataliFGonzalez) June 1, 2023
Raising a glass with friends, leaders, and fellow veterans at the American Legion Post in Wheaton during our safety walk.
Cheers to building strong communities. 🍻 pic.twitter.com/UHMAaiUPu2
— Governor Wes Moore (@GovWesMoore) May 31, 2023
Today @NataliFGonzalez welcomed @GovWesMoore and other elected officials to Wheaton for a safety walk on Georgia Ave to shed light on the pedestrian safety issues. The tour also touched on the local businesses & economic development potential of downtown Wheaton. @MDOTNews @MDBiz pic.twitter.com/nZJUf7uoMQ
— Montgomery Council (@MoCoCouncilMD) June 1, 2023
Gov. Wes Moore and Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez walked the streets of Wheaton in search of ways to make it safer for cars, walkers, bicyclists and rollers. @mymcmedia @NataliFGonzalez pic.twitter.com/Iz6ey1e2MY
— suzanne pollak (@SuzannePollak) May 31, 2023
