Fourth Ward Council Representative Erin O’Neill identified and brought attention to a critical community safety issue: improper and dangerous operation of motor vehicles on city streets.

Children, pedestrians, dog walkers, tourists, those with mobility challenges and bicyclists all are unnecessarily threatened by speeding, reckless operation and especially distracted driving.

Speed limits, crosswalks, red lights and turn signals all seem to be options rather than safety laws ignored by more and move motor vehicle drivers.

Speeding drivers on Greene and Phillips have made it dangerous for walking Phillips Elementary students for decades. Every school has similar unnecessary safety risks.

Tiny numbers of children walk to school and still fewer cycle. And it shows in the epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. Walking and cycling that was common transportation decades ago to schools.

Erin O’Neill is urging the mayor to reinstate the Streets and Transportation Commission. How about the Mayor’s Alternative Commission, Brick Street Commission and showing some respect to the incredibly important Marietta Tree Commission?

These commissions comprised of knowledgeable professionals with insights into safety and community wellbeing have been kicked to the crumbling curbs in the past five years.

Volunteer commission members donate their valuable knowledge and particular expertise improving everyone’s quality of life. While they are ignored, the city spends huge sums on outside consultants and experts to create studies regularly shelved or quickly forgotten.

Historic Marietta has the potential to be a walking and cycling paradise. But that doesn’t just happen.

It requires both city employees and residents to “Do Something.”