Health
City Hall in La Crosse declares “White Cane Safety Day” for blind pedestrians
La Crosse is taking time to recognize the needs of the vision-impaired, by declaring today as White Cane Safety Day.
Mayor Mitch Reynolds met Friday morning with a group of local residents who are blind or impaired at City Hall to make the declaration.
MTU director Adam Lorentz was present at the event, and announced a new phone app which will help blind passengers ride the bus system, by vocally announcing where a bus is located at any time on its route.
Drivers are cautioned to stop at least 10 feet away if a pedestrian with a guide dog or a white cane is crossing the street.
Rhonda Staats serves on the city disability board, and she has experienced cars stopping too close while she was at a crossing.
“Whenever we feel the heat of a car’s engine, we definitely understand that the car is too close for comfort and safety,” she says.
Staats says she’s proud of the city’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety, but thinks there’s still a long way to go.