Greetings:

The safety committee at Thorne Crest Retirement Community is dedicated to the safety and well-being of residents, staff and neighbors in our retirement community and in the surrounding community.

Our building is nestled in an area with homes all around us and a school on the south. It is an area that many people of varied ages and abilities utilize for exercise by walking, running or biking. It is also a busy area bounded by Hawthorne Street on the south and Garfield Ave on the east.

We have witnessed residents of the neighborhood appropriately using the crosswalks on Hawthorne and Garfield to get across the street. Children on their way to and from school use these walkways. However, many people take their lives in their hands when they attempt to cross the street. We have witnessed vehicles rushing to cross in front of pedestrians while they were crossing the crosswalk.

Do we need an accident with an injury or fatality to get people to slow down and pay attention to the crosswalk signs? We know that our crosswalks here are not the only places people have problems trying to cross the street. Many of us have seen multiple instances of pedestrians not being allowed to cross safely and securely. Are we all in too big of a hurry with our lives to be able to slow down and let someone cross the street? We have seen children attempting to cross at various places with not much luck. We have tried to cross the street with people in wheelchairs and even then there is no respect for the pedestrians.

Our point in writing this letter is to thank those who respect pedestrians as they try to cross the street. If there is a contest between a vehicle and a pedestrian we all know what the unfortunate outcome usually is. Please notice people who are attempting to cross the street and please slow down. It doesn’t pay to save a few minutes at the expense of a child or any other person out for a leisurely stroll, on their way to work or school or to visit a neighbor.

Take time to think about your own family and friends and how you would want them to be treated as they are out and about. Thank you for considering our request to slow down and watch for pedestrians.

Sue Callahan

safety and health committee

Thorne Crest Retirement Community

Albert Lea