Cambridge, Md - Crews wrapped up work on two new raised crosswalks today, one on Pine Street and the other on Race Street. The goal, city officials say, is to slow traffic and keep pedestrians safe.
For business owner Eddie Beasley, the closures didn’t stop his customers.
“A majority of my customers walk up here anyway,” Beasley said. “And the ones that do drive up here, most of them don't go that far…Any kind of improvements they do on Pine Street is good for my business.”
Willis Duncan says the upgrades are a step in the right direction.
“I think that's a great idea,” Duncan said. “Anything that's going to make the community safer and that's going to bring more value to the community, I'm all for it.”
Downtown businesses did notice a slowdown during the installation. Jessica LaPerch said the temporary inconvenience was worth it.
“Crosswalks are very important, especially since I have children walking in and out so much,” LaPerch told WBOC. “So I'm glad they’re putting new crosswalks in. It's unfortunate we have to, you know, deal with it being a little bit slower, but that's kind of the thing we have to accept for it to happen.”
The city hopes the new crosswalks will lead to safer streets and a better experience for both drivers and pedestrians.