This is from our friend and neighbor, Jodi Wortsman:
Hello Eken Park Neighborhood Association,
In light of recent tragedies on East Washington Avenue, we are organizing a collective action to demand that changes be made to East Washington Avenue so it is accessible for all people to use as a transportation corridor and allows safe connections between neighborhoods. Since your neighborhood includes East Washington Avenue, we would love to have your support in organizing the event and spreading the word! Not all the details are exact yet, but we wanted to reach out to you now to get it on your neighborhood’s radar.
We do apologize for the limited notice as we only recently began planning this event.
– Date: Saturday, July 31
– Time: 10 am
– Description: “Come as you experience the streets,” whether that’s on bike, on foot, using a wheelchair, pushing a stroller, etc. (please not by car). We will take a route downtown, incorporating important points like dangerous intersections, schools, and sites of power. In the words of cyclists, this is a “no drop” action – no one is left behind, and no one should feel forced to go at a pace uncomfortable or unsafe for them. Exact route, speakers, and action plan information to come.
If you (or your neighbors) are interested in planning, we’ll be having a meeting next Tuesday, January 27 at 5pm over Zoom. The planning group is composed of members from multiple organizations and also unaffiliated individuals. I would love to send you the details if that’s something you’d like to join. Otherwise, I’ll follow up with the final details as they are planned! Please spread the word to all your neighbors.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the event. We would love to see you and your neighbors there to show that Madisonians care about the safety of our streets!
Thank you! Jodi Wortsman
Eken Park Neighborhood Association Blog 