RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Liberation Veteran Services (LVS) is prioritizing pedestrian safety by introducing the first residents of their new Veterans Village aimed at housing homeless veterans and prioritizing pedestrian safety. The village is located on Midlothian Turnpike and is a 50-unit micro co mmunity for veterans transitioning out of homelessness. Veterans will also have the ability to live at this location for free for an average of six to eight months before moving into permanent housing, according to the press release. The Liberation Campus will collectively serve more than 7,000 city residents monthly. "For years, this parking lot has been very chaotic," said LVS CEO Jay Patrick. "There were no speed bumps, directional signage, ADA pathways for pedestrians, or any other technology to make the roughly 15-acre parking lot safer for pedestrians." The CEO added that the organization has worked closely with the City of Richmond and performed their due diligence to make sure the changes to the property promote the safety and well-being of the community. "No one should be injured or lose their life while crossing the street," Patrick said. "It takes collective concern, compassion and care for your neighbors to implement. There have been 6-7 pedestrian deaths in the past several weeks in Richmond, and we want to be proactive." The City of Richmond is now accelerating its safety initiatives after seeing the uptick in pedestrian deaths within days of each other, including the death of local Valentine director Bill Martin. LVA is installing a new "ADA-compliant" pedestrian pathway that they stated will comply with Richmond Mayor Danny Avula's vision zero strategy to reduce pedestrian deaths. The pathway will be designed to allow residents to travel safely from public transit and local walkways to the campus. "By prioritizing pedestrian safety in their new design, they’re showing how thoughtful planning can protect lives and strengthen community," Avula said in a press release. "This is what Vision Zero is all about—creating spaces where everyone can move safely and with dignity." For more information about the campus visit their website. ...read more read less