BRATTLEBORO — The town of Brattleboro wants all of us to stay safe on the streets and sidewalks, and is handing out free reflective leg bands to get the job done.
According to Barb Sondag, Brattleboro town manager, the goal is to save lives.
“Last winter's multiple fatalities were a huge tragedy, and an avoidable one. Our goal this winter is zero crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians,” Sondag said, adding that motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians all have a part to play in making the streets safer.
The first stage of the campaign is focused on increasing pedestrians' and cyclists' visibility at night. The town, working through community partners and volunteers, aims to distribute a large number of high-quality reflective leg bands, Sondag said.
The town encourages anyone who goes out after dark to first visit the Municipal Center and pick up - and wear - their free reflective leg band.
“Whether walking the dog in the early morning hours, walking home from work after dusk, or walking to school at any hour, a reflective leg band will make you far more visible to motorists,” Sondag explained.
Alternatively, the bands can be worn on the arm, she said.
Sondag said the campaign would evolve in the spring and summer, with additional initiatives focused on walkers and bicyclists and others on motorists.
Additional community volunteers are sought to make this campaign a success, she said.
Brattleboro's Safe Streets Project is in partnership with Local Motion (www.localmotion.org), a Burlington-based walk-bike advocacy group, and is funded by the Vermont Governor's Highway Safety Program.