05 May 2024 Final

LOUISIANA MUNICIPAL ADVISORY AND TECHNICAL SERVICES
Gonzales Takes Big Step Forward in Pedestrian Safety
The recent completion of
nearly 600 repairs to uneven
concrete sidewalks by the
City of Gonzales marks the
first time the city has comprehensively
addressed this
common challenge to pedestrian
safety. With the project’s
anticipated repair of another
150 trip hazards before summer,
Gonzales promises to be
a healthier, happier locale for
residents and visitors alike.
According to National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) and National
Health Interview Survey
(NHIS) data, trip hazards created
in part by buckled and
crumbling concrete panels
on public rights of way, contribute
to as many as half a
million recorded injuries annually
in the U.S., a number
several times the incidence of
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Courtesy LaMATS Drone Imaging Service.
pedestrian injury due to automotive
collisions. The collective
cost of medical care
and property insurance easily
constitutes a multi-million
dollar burden borne largely
by vulnerable elderly citizens
and their local communities.
Having learned about the
nature of trip hazards and
possible solutions at LMA’s
annual convention from La-
MATS partner, Precision Concrete
Cutting of Louisiana,
Gonzales Mayor (and incoming
LMA Executive Director)
Barney Arceneaux felt it was
high time to take action.
“Some solutions are so obvious
they make the decision
easy,” said Mayor Arceneaux.
“If we can reduce the risk of
trips and falls city-wide in a
LMR | MAY 2024