Fountain Hills is home to half a dozen parks, four schools and centrally located amenities such as the library, Community Center and Town Hall. Many residences are within walking distance of everything from restaurants to grocery stores and local shops, and hardly a day goes by when you can’t find a community event taking place somewhere around town.

It’s not too difficult to get out and enjoy much of what Fountain Hills has to offer without a car, and that famous Arizona weather means folks are more than happy to get out and experience their hometown just about 365 days a year.

We’re a town where a lot of walking and bike riding occurs, which makes pedestrian safety a top priority.

Based on chatter at a recent Town Council meeting, it sounds like Fountain Hills’ leadership is on the same page. Multiple pedestrian deaths last year served as a tragic reminder of what can happen when folks get distracted or forget, even for the briefest of moments, that they’re cruising through a town where many people rely on their legs, rather than four wheels, to get around.

As such, the council aims to buckle down on pedestrian safety, implementing a handful of precautionary measures you can read about on page 1A of this week’s issue while pulling together a committee to assess additional needs and come up with possible solutions.

We applaud these efforts and look forward to seeing the community join the council in making Fountain Hills a safer place whether you’re driving down the road, visiting an art fair or simply crossing the street to Fountain Park. As we’ve said in the past, the Town Council can only do so much to address pedestrian safety with speed limits and adjustments to intersections. The rest of the responsibility falls squarely on our own shoulders.