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JHU Plans To Improve Safety For Cyclists And Pedestrians

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Following a string of serious, sometimes deadly, accidents near campus. Officials with the Johns Hopkins University say they will spend $15-million next year to improve safety for bicyclists, joggers and other pedestrians. The project involves the construction of a pedestrian bridge.

Rochelle Ritchie has the details.

The call for improved safety measures is not only being heard at Hopkins, but across city. This announcement comes just one month after a bicyclist was hit and killed on Roland Avenue.

It's a $15-million project all in effort to make it safe to jog, walk and bike along San Martin Drive.

"I actually took some night classes here and it was frightening to walk along there as much as I would have liked to," pedestrian Paula Loudenslager said.

The Johns Hopkins University says in 2016, they will begin construction on a 345-foot tall 8-foot wide elevated pedestrian bridge that will start at Olin Hall and end at the San Martin Center.

"We wanted to go through and do a complete redesign so it becomes a great amenity for all those groups to use as part of the Homewood campus and the areas adjacent to us," vice president Alan Fish said.

Currently the road near the San Martin Center does not have a sidewalk and cannot be widened. Pedestrians call the project a life saver.

"I am really happy about that," pedestrian James Flowers said. "They need to do something for pedestrian safety mainly."

The announcement from Hopkins comes just one month after husband and father of two, Tom Palermo, was hit and killed while cycling on Roland Avenue a few miles from the campus.

"It feels personal because it could have been any of us," a woman said.

The city owns San Martin Drive and has agreed to the improvements.

"Sidewalks will be widened or created where they don't exist at all," a man said.

Officials say the changes will not impede on the ability of drivers to move around the campus, although they will be adding more stop signs.

The university says they have not raised all of the $15-million for the entire project, but they have raised enough to start it.

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