Annapolis Community Group Announces Demonstration in Support of Safer, Better Conditions Follow After Young Child Gets Struck by Car

A group of parents and residents from the Germantown-Homewood neighborhood and the broader Annapolis community today announced plans to gather at the Michael E. Busch Library tomorrow, Friday, April 25, 2025, from 7:30 to 7:45 a.m. This assembly is a direct response to the recent incident on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where an 11-year-old child was struck by a vehicle while crossing West Street en route to school.

According to a press release issued by the group, residents of Germantown-Homewood have communicated their concerns to both city and state authorities regarding the hazardous conditions along this particular segment of West Street for several years. "As community members have articulated, the provision of a safe walking route to school for children, and the assurance of safety for all residents traversing the neighborhood, are paramount," the release said.

Erin McCopp, President of the Germantown-Homewood Community Association, said that the State Highway Administration is aware of the safety issues between Southwood and Russell Avenues. "A traffic study conducted in June 2022 indicated that a significant portion of vehicles exceed the posted speed limit. Despite this finding, no measures have been implemented to mitigate speeding and enhance pedestrian safety," McCopp said.  "The MSHA-commissioned speed study on West Street revealed that over 15% of drivers travel at speeds exceeding 33 mph, which is 8 mph above the 25 mph limit. This persistent speeding creates a considerable safety hazard on a residential street, leading to the conclusion that MSHA engineers may be prioritizing vehicular flow over the safety and well-being of community residents and children."

The group said while a crosswalk has been installed near the library, the signaling and timing are reportedly unclear for both drivers and pedestrians. "It's location is several blocks away from established pedestrian crossing points, diminishing the effectiveness of this infrastructure due to entrenched pedestrian habits."

In light of these persistent issues, residents are requesting the following immediate actions:

1.  **Reinstallation of former crosswalks:** Specifically, the reinstatement of the crosswalks previously located at the intersections of Locust/McKendree and Cherry Grove Avenue is requested. If deemed necessary, the installation of concrete barriers to prevent vehicles from circumventing stopped traffic at these crosswalks should be considered.

2.  **Designation as a school zone:** The official designation of this section of West Street as a school zone, with adjusted speed limits during school hours, is requested to reflect the presence of four schools within walking distance and the necessity for children to cross for school access and bus routes.

3.  **Road design modifications:** The implementation of traffic calming measures and other appropriate road design changes to effectively reduce the consistently observed speeding by the Annapolis Police Department, the State Highway Administration, and local residents is strongly urged.

Residents will be present at the current crosswalk by the Busch Library from 7:30 am to 7:45 am this Friday to bring attention to the daily risks faced by children and neighbors and to encourage state leaders to take decisive action to ensure pedestrian safety.