In the one year since a new “pedestrian equity” law went into effect in Anchorage that effectively made jaywalking allowed in most situations, 12 people have died by being struck by cars in Anchorage while they wandered into the streets and roads. It’s record-setting death and injury, never seen in Alaska history. The record for pedestrian deaths statewide was set in 2022, with 13.
The dozen deaths doubled the number of pedestrian fatalities from the year before the Assembly passed new ordinance that gave pedestrians the run of the streets. Under the new laws, pedestrians can cross pretty much wherever they feel it’s safe to cross, regardless of traffic lights or crosswalks, which have been made into merely suggestions.
Now, the Assembly wants to penalize the drivers by reducing the speed limits throughout Anchorage by at least 10 miles per hour.
Three Assembly members will hold a press conference Tuesday to outline their resolution, which also demands more light pollution in Anchorage by having more lights installed, ignoring the fact that only one of the fatalities this year took place in the dark of winter, and most of the pedestrians were struck during the summer months, when there is an abundance of natural light. The members also ignore the reality that most of the deaths occurred in well-lit locations, such as Northern Lights and Minnesota Blvd., Minnesota and Benson Blvd., Tudor Road and Seward Highway, and C Street and Fireweed Lane.
Assembly members Daniel Volland, Karen Bronga, and Meg Zaletel don’t believe their actions in passing the ordinance that went into effect last Oct. 7 have anything to do with the doubling of pedestrian deaths. They also want to make October into “Pedestrian Safety Month” and pay for an information campaign to impress upon people the impact that cars have on humans.
“Acknowledging that pedestrian deaths are 100% preventable, the resolution declares October as Pedestrian Safety Month and calls for the Municipality of Anchorage and the State of Alaska to take the following actions in corridors where pedestrian deaths have occurred: Immediately install improved lighting as used by the HSIP program; Lower speed limits by at least 10mph, not to exceed 35 mph; Produce a public education campaign about the impact of speed on pedestrian safety,” the three wrote in a press release.
After the AO No. 2023-65(S) was introduced in May of 2023 by Assembly members Karen Bronga, Daniel Volland, and Anna Brawley, the then-Anchorage chief of police pointed out to the Assembly that they did not consult the police department on the ordinance prior to introducing it. Police had opposed it, but the Assembly went ahead.
The Assembly majority thinks that the pedestrian laws are racist and are disproportionately enforced against minorities, especially “Black and “Latine/x” and low income people.
The law they passed allows some types of jaywalking and looser laws for bike riders, scooters, and others who are now allowed to ignore traffic signals, not wear helmets, or have lamp equipment when using roadways.
The 12 pedestrian deaths in the one year since the relaxed jaywalking law went into effect (not counting bicycle rider deaths) were:
- Jan. 30 – C and Fireweed Way
- March 3 – Old Seward and Industry Way
- March 8 – New Seward and Dowling Road
- April 8 – 11th and Karluk
- April 20 – Tudor Road and Seward Highway
- May 20 – Fireweed and 16th
- August 21 – East Tudor and McLean (nonfatal)
- September 8 – Muldoon and 6th
- September 8 – Debarr and 34th
- September 13 – Minnesota and Benson
- September 21 – Northern Lights and Minnesota
An additional death occurred in a parking lot when a woman lying on the pavement was run over. There were several car-bike incidents in the year as well.
The same consequence happened in Los Angeles after that city relaxed its jaywalking laws. Must Read Alaska reported on that over a year ago at this link:
The Assembly’s press conference is scheduled for Sept. 24 at 1 p.m., in Suite 155, City Hall, 632 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage. The trio intends to bring the resolution to the regular Assembly meeting that starts at 5 p.m. and put it on the agenda as a last-minute item.
He may have left office suddenly but Karen Bronga, Daniel Volland, and Anna Brawley have found a way to keep Ethan Berkowitz’ legacy going strong.
More streetlights and lower speed limits aren’t necessary. September is very low visibility because while it’s dark out, there is no snow yet to reflect light and provide contrast against pedestrians, who also seem to act far more recklessly than I’ve every seen in my life. Such as playing leapfrog over road construction barrels in heavy traffic on Tudor Drive, wandering intoxicated into oncoming traffic, or just crossing Spenard and Minnesota when the traffic has a green light.
I’ve noticed when I drive in the early morning when it’s still dark, there are usually at least 1 car who has adapted to the changing seasons and drives with his lights off. That might also contribute to the carnage.
Very few get the hint to turn on their lights when I flash mine on and off to warn them.
This is insanity. LA had increased pedestrian deaths , now ANC copied their law and oopsy, Increased deaths. Follow the science. I’d like to see these locations and the proximity to homeless camps. The assembly is killing off the people they say they want to protect.
I wonder how many of these pedestrians follow the Assembly and the ordinances they pass.
You are missing the point.
This ordinance while on the surface claims “equity” to the underprivileged (still don’t get how that works) in reality is a not so subtle dig at APD in form of putting up more restrictions and reducing law enforcement’s ability. In the past the cops could approach and/or site a person for crossing outside a crosswalk and endangering the public. Now they no longer have that ability, reducing the interactions they have with individuals to educate and intervene or uncover other issues (inebriation, criminal behavior etc.).
The assembly’s attempt at spreading homelessness around the whole city and their unwillingness to enforce existing laws has exacerbated the issue.
I was reading an article about a city in Ohio rigorously enforced their panhandling and camping rules and their rate of homeless dropped by half.
I have great sympathy for those, who have no other options and want help to leave that circumstance, but none for those who refuse help and prefer the responsibility free lifestyle of hand-outs and freebies, because their life choices abuse the kindness of others and should not be supplemented.
Logic. Reasoning. Working with community. None of these are attributed to the Assbly in the last few years. Instead we have these possibilities:
A. We’re each making a name for ourselves so when we run for office, i.e. legislature, senate or other office—you will remember me, me, me!
B. The voter is not part of the equation.
C. Voters don’t vote…so we get to do anything we please!
Surely ADN and KTUU will have reporting on this before the assembly meeting……
These deaths seem more like a function of the new law as opposed to a bug. Now that there are more deaths those who are in power can create more laws that push their agenda forward. These people do not care about the deaths of a few indigent folks, the ends always justify the means for these radicals.
Local elections are as important if not more important than any other election, and our typical turnout percentage is in the teens.
So you think this is part of a master plan as opposed to the assembly just being stupid?
Nope this is all the Assembly being Ignorant.
It’s all about control and using any and every lever at their disposal to do so. They are talking about adding streetlights and lowering speed limits using dead bodies of people who were hit in the middle of the day as the excuse, that’s absurd…and it’s after they passed a law allowing people to walk amongst vehicles as if nothing would happen, that’s even more absurd. Just more leftists gaslighting.
This Assembly is swatting at flies on their windows, not realizing that someone should shut the front door. But hey, they aren’t spending their own money with their next great idea.
Most of the pedestrian deaths in Anchorage have one thing in common – too many of the drug/booze addled, or mentally deficient, and/or psychologically belligerent pedestrians are entering the roadways when they certainly OUGHT NOT (ignoring traffic signals, for example) or where they DO NOT BELONG.
I once observed a shirtless man wandering around in the center of Northern Lights Blvd in heavy traffic, using the length of the street as his sidewalk, causing motorists to brake hard and to swerve around him. I have seen pedestrians on Minnesota Blvd south of International Airport Road, where pedestrians do not belong under any circumstance. Just the other day I rolled down my vehicle window at Minnesota and Northern Lights to admonish a pedestrian who was belligerently crossing at the intersection of this busy six-lane street while the traffic lights were green; naturally, I was rewarded for my concern with a curse.
These crazed pedestrian behaviors are happening day-and-night all over this wretched city without consequence – right up until the moment when the offender steps out immediately in front of an innocent motorist. The pedestrian deaths are no surprise – except that there are not more of them. I am sorry for the bereaved families and friends, but I pity most of all the innocent motorists.
The Anchorage Assembly will continue to do what they do best, which is to punish the innocent with onerous new laws and taxes. As the old saying goes, ‘elections matter,’ and we Anchoragians (Anchoragites?) have no one to blame but ourselves.
The leftist run idiocy of Anchorage continues on….🙄
Local elections are as important if not more important than any other election, and our typical turnout percentage is in the teens.
This has nothing to do with not allowing jaywalking or speed limits. Make pedestrians AND drivers take responsibility. I see stupid pedestrians all the time crossing with bad timing and assuming cars will avoid them. Every single case looked like someone homeless and under the influence of drugs. They wouldn’t have followed the stupid jaywalking laws if they had been in place.
By expanding the homeless industrial complex, the Assembly has just increased the death toll. Mind-altering drugs kill the body and the brain. This is just more evidence of that.
At first, I wondered how many of the pedestrians hit were under the influence. Then, I recalled what a nurse had said, “homeless will try to get hit by a car in order to get free room and board at a hospital.” Either way, the accidents are results of policy.
How you liking your 3rd world status, Anchorage?
Stop with the histrionics.
It’s. It histrionics. The idiotic Assembly wants to idiot laws from other loony lefty cities and think the results here will be different. They won’t be happy till anchorage resembled Portland, Seattle, LA…. Yep third world
Walking in front of a moving car might be a bad idea (just saying)
…that’s an idea but sounds like we need to “pay for an information campaign to impress upon people the impact that cars have on humans” according to the Anchorage Assembly.
Where did you obtain that list? “Debarr and 34th”? There’s a 3400 block of Debarr, near its intersection with Columbine. “Fireweed and 16th” is equally as bogus but can’t be explained away as easily.
I went through the police reports. The Debarr incident was near Bragaw. You can get more specifics on each of them at this link: https://www.anchoragepolice.com/news – sd
Good for Anchorage, they voted for it
Let’s just call it very late term abortion.
No, let’s not
Incompetence at full display again. Let’s just ban auto traffic downtown.
People whether it’s homeless or working people dress in dark clothes and its dark at night they need to have some kind of reflective or brighter clothing on so people can see them and then they need to be seen enough not to walk out in front of a heavy Vehicle.
I taught my kids that you’re gonna lose the battle with the big heavy metal monster every time.
“Let’s just ban auto traffic downtown” that’s the plan, the higher the body count the easier it is to sell people on the idea.
Only problem being, none of these occurred in the core downtown area.
Decriminalized Jaywalking doesn’t make it safer, but it does shift the liability to the driver instead the fool.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Assembly played a stupid game with their new jaywalking law. Stupid prize is more dead people. Congratulations. You guys and your union backers must be very proud. Cheers –
It appears that if you walk or ride bikes, traffic laws do not pertain to you!!! Sooo, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
The Assembly has blood on their hands and I plan on telling them that at our next Spenard community council meeting. Legalizing stupid behavior is no way to run a city. To be clear pedestrians do NOT have the right of way outside of a crosswalk. That’s State law.
“…I plan on telling them that at our next Spenard community council meeting.”
Now, that I want to see.
.
Oh, and what makes you think the Assembly will attend your community council meeting? Hell, our reps only show up at your cc meeting about once every three months. Bitch to your community council all day long. It is a waste of air.
The BS that the deaths are 100% preventable is true only if the pedestrian keeps there head out of their ass and uses the cross walks and don’t walk against the light. I have barely avoided killing several of the idiots on bikes and walking that think that a 5 ton truck is going to be able to leap over them when they run out in front of me or ride their bike out in front of me in dark clothes at night. The assembly is making a group of people feel like they are entitled to do whatever they want and the people out here paying the bills are responsible for keeping them safe. Idiocy.
Rather than crying about it here, why don’t readers contact their assembly representative?
[email protected]
You can also read about the assembly idiots here: ‘https://www.muni.org/Departments/Assembly/Pages/About%20Us%20-%20Member%20Profiles.aspx
How many of the jaywalkers were drunk? How many of those if drunk were arrested for public intoxication and reckless endangerment?
The people that had their vehicles damaged and have endured trauma from hitting another human should sue the Anchorage assembly. It rests squarely on their shoulders.
I have a crazy idea…
How about we actually enforce the law? You know, cite people for jaywalking, and collect fines.
.
Instead, this assembly ignores the criminal and punishes the law abiding.
Well, well, well finally, We can now say, The Assembly has caused the deaths of the pedestrians..Not the car drivers who are doing their best short of wrecking their cars for ALL THE DEATHS of the mindless people crossing the streets in their drunken state. ASSEMBLY: “How does it fell that YOU are resaponsible for the deaths in innitiating a brainless law.
And how much do we need to pay? “pay for an information campaign to impress upon people the impact that cars have on humans.” The impact that cars have on humans should be fairly obvious to most people. I don’t know why we need to pay for an information campaign.
Congratulations Anchorage. The whole nation now lumps you in with LA, San Francisco. Portland and Seattle. You must be so proud of how far you have come. When folks down south ask me about Anchorage, my standard reply is, ” At least from Anchorage you can drive to Alaska”
When they were first pushing the Golden Lion, a bunch of people who know what they’re talking about warned that this was a horrible place to put a bunch of pedestrian users.
And now we have a man who was hit by two drivers who didn’t expect a pedestrian on a controlled access highway.
Stupidity. And ruining the lives of the poor drivers who may have done nothing wrong.
Cmon man!!! The assembly made it legal to cross the street anywhere a person wanted. If they get hit by a vehicle, it’s the drivers fault. Period. It doesn’t make any difference if the pedestrian survives or not, it’s the drivers fault. GET IT!!!! The assembly is INNOCENT!!! GET IT???
If there were no laws against speeding, robbery, murder, or theft would those incidents increase?
Why is it a surprise or controversial that removing prohibitions against jaywalking would increase the number of incidents?
Of course there will always be a set of population that will break the laws. But the guardrails they put in place help keep society in check.
Thank you for running the article Suzanne. I predicted these results when they launched this lunacy last year. No surprise here. That said, I’ve taken up the pedestrian lifestyle around ‘north mid-town.’ Other than feeling compelled to ‘carry,’ it’s pretty easy to stay between the lines.
Most people, be they locals or tourists, do most of their jaywalking in the core downtown area. That’s where you have the largest amount of pedestrian traffic. It’s the only place I ever jaywalk. Yet none of these accidents happened there. It’s primarily alcohol and/or drug addled people making dangerous runs across streets without realizing the danger they’re putting themselves in. The problem isn’t the law, it’s people making poor decisions about where to cross in various parts of the city that are outside of the core downtown area. And these people would be crossing anyway because most, if not all, probably aren’t even aware of the law changing and aren’t swayed by it.
Exactly.
Remember, when a statistic is given for “Alcohol-Related Traffic Accident” the natural response is to think intoxicated _driver_. DUI is just a subset of “Alcohol-Related” which includes accidents where the pedestrian was the one impaired.
As with so many causes, the larger number is trotted out to drive the narrative, regardless of its specific applicability.
True.
Is the public responsible for people laying on or in the road? Or jaywalking because they are too lazy, indifferent, or not smart enough to look before crossing? Wise up assembly! Get some common sense. So far I don’t see that you have any.
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