Over 100 people attended a rally on Thursday, Sept. 10, advocating for a traffic signal and crosswalk on Roosevelt Road by St. Francis High School, between the Marian Park Apartments and Target. The rally was organized by Marian Park residents and members of DuPage United, who work to build relational bridges between Marian Park and civic institutions, schools, churches, mosques and synagogues.
The crowd, which included local schoolchildren and Wheaton Councilwomen Erica Bray-Parker and Leah Brice, gathered in front of Marian Park to hear from clergy and both current and past residents of Marian Park about the dangers of the lack of a crosswalk. Since 1998, three fatalities have occurred, as well as 11 injuries and dozens of vehicle crashes each year.
Wheaton Professor of New Testament Amy Peeler, an associate priest at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, opened the ceremony with prayer. Peeler is friends with several of the clergy involved, and noted that as an inclusive nonpartisan organization, DuPage United’s efforts surrounding pedestrian safety have been interfaith. She prayed that the gathering would further the work of DuPage United to protect pedestrians from the traffic…