FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA – Immigrant advocacy organization CASA and the Coalition for Smarter Growth join hundreds of immigrants to hold a press conference and rally to demand changes to make the Route 7 area of Bailey’s Crossroads safer for people walking, biking, and using transit. The campaign to improve Bailey’s Crossroads highlights a particularly dangerous arterial in the Culmore community of Fairfax County; a neighborhood whose perilous roads impact vulnerable bikers, pedestrians, and even drivers. Gathered together through the Bailey’s Crossroads Safe Streets Campaign, Culmore residents have overwhelmingly indicated they do not feel safe, citing poor lighting, lack of connected sidewalks and secure crossing options, no bike paths, and more. CASA members will highlight the results of the data collected back in June by CASA and Coalition for Smarter Growth about the challenges faced daily by the residents of the area, before entering together to testify at a public hearing before the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), and Mason District office of Fairfax County Supervisor Penny Gross.
WHAT:
- Press Conference/Rally where immigrant families will share testimonies about the lack of street safety in Route 7 – Culmore and why there should be transit changes in the area.
- Followed by the public hearing where CASA members will testify in front of VDOT, FCDOT, and Mason District office of Supervisor Penny Gross.
WHEN: Thursday, August 4, 2022 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Bailey’s Elementary School, 6111 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church, VA 22041
WHO: Immigrant/pedestrians affected by the lack of street safety organized by CASA as part of a joint campaign by CASA and the Coalition for Smarter Growth
RSVP: For more information on the actions, please contact Nancy Espinoza, [email protected], (240) 701-2777
MORE: The press conference features local Culmore residents sharing their pedestrian, driving, transit, and cycling experiences around Leesburg Pike and Columbia Pike, as well as the results of safety research.
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With over 122,000 lifetime Latino, immigrant, and working-class members across 46 US states, CASA is the foremost immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core support necessary for full participation in society. Now a national immigrant powerhouse, CASA creates change with its powerbuilding model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. Visit us at www.wearecasa.org and follow us on Twitter at @CASAforall.
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington, DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Our mission is to advocate for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the region to grow and provide opportunities for all.
