Friday, February 25, 2011

This Week on Foot

It's been a week of contrasts for pedestrians here in Southern California. First, the bad news. We started out the week learning that Metro Plans to Remove Adams Blvd. Sidewalks Near My Figueroa , replacing it with an unlikely-to-be-used pedestrian bridge. Then, Police investigate pedestrian death in Orange, a Pedestrian killed by commuter train in Watts, the list seems neverending...

But on the bright side, Council OKs $1M for school traffic safety in Glendale (nicely timed to coincide with the Glendale Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Report 2010 Released Today), and La Mesa offers Four workshops planned on getting kids walking.

Outside of the regiona a Minneapolis Pedestrian study paints complex picture of skyway foot traffic, Plans move forward for $1M Traverse City tunnel in Chicago, and
Wider lanes, pedestrian walkway; bike path all part of plan for new Goethals Bridge from S.I. in New York City.

Elsewhere in the world, pedestrians would surely love those types of infrastructure improvements--but would just settle for some better signal timing, as in Mysore, India, where Pedestrians need more time at zebra crossings.

Of course, pedestrian safety is about more than street design. Somtimes it takes behavioral changes also. Wayne State University in Michigan has focused on changing pedestrian behavior, but their Campaign to increase pedestrian safety sees mixed results . (Perhaps if they stopped blaming the pedestrians for crashes, and instead took a look at drivers in the area? Officials could probably learn something from one Bay Area Pedestrian Injured In Car Accident Speaks Out Distracted Drivers. 

And if you're feeling like starting your own pedestrian safety campaign, and you live in Clark County, Washington, now's your chance: Applicants sought for County bike-pedestrian group.

Or you could just focus on walking for fun (and the record books), like this Ventura man to walk 1,000 trails in 1,000 days.

Speaking of walking for fun, if anyone was plannig to attend this weekend's Walk San Diego community walk, it has been cancelled due to the pending deluge. I'll keep you posted when they reschedule.



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