Bozeman Drivers Need to Pay More Attention at Crosswalks

Bozeman is growing at it's not going to stop anytime soon. The number of people that work and live in the downtown area is constantly increasing.

As someone who works in downtown Bozeman, I often walk somewhere to have lunch each day. I've found that simply crossing the street can be dangerous in Bozeman. Along Main St., crosswalks are marked and drivers generally stop to let people cross the street.

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Some crosswalks in Bozeman are marked and have flashing lights so that drivers know when someone is crossing the street, but many crosswalks in Bozeman are unmarked and many drivers don't slow down when pedestrians are waiting to cross the street.

Earlier today, I was half away across Mendenhall in the crosswalk at Grand Ave. I saw a pickup driving towards me and noticed that it wasn't slowing down as it approached the crosswalk. I literally had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

Sadly, it isn't the first time that it happened. I've had quite a few scary experiences at the same crosswalk. Most drivers simply don't pay attention unless a crosswalk is clearly marked.

As Bozeman continues to grow, public safety needs to be a top priority. Unmarked crosswalks have become a safety hazard for pedestrians in Bozeman. Homeowners and property owners in Bozeman are taxed at a fairly high rate, and as someone who works in Bozeman every day, it would be great to see some of the tax revenue go to improving public safety. I just hope that it happens before someone gets injured or even killed while trying to cross the street in Bozeman.