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Walking in Montgomery County can be dangerous. There's a push to make things safer

Montgomery County has seen a number of pedestrian deaths over the last few years. The county is rolling out a master plan to make things safer for those who walk.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Virginia Whicker walks in Montgomery County every single day. She says safety is a big concern for her. 

"I think it needs to be a little longer to get across. When you walk across it goes down and you really have to push yourself to get across," said Whicker. 

Montgomery County is taking a big step to address concerns like Whicker's. It has rolled out a pedestrian master plan that will identify key areas that need to be improved or updated for people who walk or ride their bikes. 

From 2015 to 2018, 44 pedestrians were killed in the county. During that same time there were more than 2,000 pedestrian and bicycle crashes. 

Credit: Montgomery County

Eli Glazier is a planner with Montgomery County. Glazier said they are aware that pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users and the plan is to shift the focus to protecting them more. 

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"We're going to recommend new and improved sidewalks and crossings across the county. We're going to work with community members to prioritize where those most important crossings are," said Glazier. 

There is also a social media campaign to help get the word out. Using the hashtag #WalkingHere, pedestrians can share what it is like walking around the county. 

Community meetings will be held later this month to gather input from pedestrians.

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The goal is to update and improve the needs for pedestrians, but planners really want to hear from those who walk every single day to decide where those improvements need to be made. 

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