Residents in Monika are terrified to go along way. Now they are demanding that coming establish a cycle path.
Toddler’s mothers Heller Ridderseth Hind, Elisabeth Runes and Merete Welled goes with heart in my throat every time the rolling walks along the road in Monika. In 60-zone waiting schoolchildren in reflective accessories on the bus, parents wheeling prams and people are walking. It is a risky sport, believes mothers.
It is a known fact among the residents out here that it is dangerous to walk along the way, says Heller Ridderseth Hind.
It was Sunday morning that Hind had enough. When she went for a walk with six month old Sana, she had to jump into the ditch with the stroller to avoid being hit.
I thought that this stops. Imagine if there was a child who walked alone along the road, she says.
Thus she created the group “We requiring pedestrian and cycle in Monika before lives are lost” on Face book. Since then, nearly 300 people “liked” group.
One would almost think that there must be an accident here until something is done, says Hind.
They all have experienced scary situations along the way, and say that they are not the only ones.
My partner was hit by a car bearing and the cars running so close to the kids that they can take on cars as they pass, says Elisabeth Runes.
There is a lot of traffic along the road, both cars and heavy transport. Only during the five minutes iTromsø stood with the mothers at the way it happened almost an accident between two trucks because of high speed.
We feel almost unwelcome on the road. Cars pushing us out of the ditch, says Merete Welled.
I have experienced that vehicle has flashed with long lights against me, even though I’m wearing a safety vest. Most running nicely, but some create very scary situations, says Runes.
In recent years, many families settled in the area. School-age children need to Skjelnan School, and most diverting bus. Then they both cross the road and wait for the bus while other heavy vehicles and passenger cars driving past.
It is very bad streetlights here. When it’s dark, it’s especially scary to walk here, said Hind.
Residents in the area were earlier this year informed that the Public Roads Administration had allocated money to develop pedestrian and bicycle lanes in Monika. They claim that they were told that the work would start early this fall. Still nothing has happened.
There is a desperate situation. I’m tired of going with your heart in your throat, says Hind.
City Councilor for Urban Development, Ragni Løkholm Romberg (Ap), says that from the municipality is a priority job to put in place cycle path outside urban areas.
Pedestrian in reflective clothing and cycle path will be constructed, and the Public Roads Administration has worthy planned pathways, says Romberg.
Erin Anne Blip, project manager at the investment section of the NPRA, says that efforts to draft a cycle path in the area against Monika are underway.
We are currently preparing now, and during November, we seek out the job to tender, says Blip.
She says that excavation work will begin next year.
Then we will continue to dig from the time the field’s end by Skjelnan and 500 to 700 meters further towards Monika, says Blip.