This Week on Foot

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This week has been all about sidewalks--funding them, that is. Or more exactly, NOT funding them. At the federal level, the Funding mandate for bike, pedestrian projects defeated in the House, and in LA everyone is buzzing about a Sidewalk study: How will L.A. pay for estimated $1.5B in improvements.

No matter how they do it, we Need to enhance facilities for pedestrians, say experts.Some cities are doing that, like Columbus, Dublin Working To Make Crosswalks Safer, and London where they're showing the rest of the world how to Walk this way. It's nice to see that folks in some places understand The importance of hitting the pavement.

Unfortunately, in Arizona it's the pedestrians getting hit--but at least they're getting restitution as

Prescott pays $45K to pedestrian hit by police car. It's not as easy in the Chicago area, where a  Joliet man fighting for rights of pedestrians amid local obstacles.

But they're removing obstacles to walkability in Silver Lake, where Pedestrians and bikes to rule the road on this Silver Lake street, and in Charlotte they're hoping to make things easier on pedestrians as the City brings bicycle/pedestrian coordinator onboard.

It's likely the new coordinator will want to work on street design like there are in Oklahoma, where 'Complete Streets' aims at creating a pedestrian-friendly Tulsa. They're thinking about the same thing in Washington, but wonder Will Spokane’s Streets Become More Vibrant? They could if the city follows Toronto's lead, where Kensington Market’s Pedestrian Sundays to be More Frequent.

Finally this week, check out this set of pedestrian eye candy in A gallery of walkability.

Ped/Bike funding, Safe Routes to School in Jeopardy

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It wasn't unexpected, but it's still discouraging to see the House version of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act squelch so many ped and bike programs. Of particular concern is the total elimination of the important Safe Routes to School program. Apparently the federal government's concern for k-12 education only extends to the perimeters of the school property; if kids never make it to school because they get hit by a bus on the way there, well that's a problem for someone else to solve.

Our friends at the Safe Routes to School Partnership have made it easy for you to contact your representative and complain. Please take a few minutes to urge Congress to restore pedestrian and bicycle funding to the bill. Thanks!

UCLA Complete Streets Conference

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Register here for the March 2 conference, featuring transpo gurus from across the country such as:

-          Reid Ewing, Professor, University of Utah
-          Regina Freer, Los Angeles City Planning Commission
-          Eran Ben-Joseph, author Rethinking a lot (forthcoming) Professor, MIT
-          Jackie Douglas, Executive Director, Livable Streets
-          Jose Luis Moscovich, Executive Director, San Francisco Transportation Authority

More about the conference from UCLA:

As the support behind the complete streets movement continues to evolve, exemplary on-the-ground projects are steadily growing in strength and in numbers.  What are recent accomplishments that have made appearances on the horizon of this movement, how have these efforts fared in their objectives to redefine and repurpose streets as public spaces?  What are promising new approaches and strategies for implementing complete and living streets in California and in the U.S.?  The second UCLA Complete Streets conference will present speakers from academia and practice to share observations and findings about recent accomplishments and explore new research and complete streets implementation examples.

This Week on Foot

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The end of January is turning out to be just as busy as the beginning. First, there's the ongoing controversy about Distracted pedestrians? Accidents on rise for headphone-wearers. Of course, some (ahem, Streetsblog) have a message to those who blame the pedestrians for this phenomenon: Dear Media Lemmings: Headphones Don’t Kill People, Drivers Do. And they're more likely to do it if they're distracted, which is why Streetsblog also suggests we Dislike? Mercedes-Benz Wants to Put Facebook in Your Dashboard.

With all this distraction, it's not surprise that Bike-Ped Traffic, Funding, and Fatalities All Inch Upward, or that one Mother of 3 kids hit in crosswalk wants tougher texting laws. Don't we all? Well, maybe not in Virginia, where a Bill to see drivers to exercise due care defeated in VA House subcommittee . And then, even the Santa Barbara City Council split over curb extensions at dangerous intersection, so I guess things that seem obvious to those of us in the pedestrian advocacy world (like how when you're talking about Traffic in LA.: Most Vulnerable Angelinos at Risk) aren't so straightforward elsewhere.

It's a little shaky outside the U.S. also, like in Chennai, India where Pedestrians find themselves on edge in or in Jakarta where Pedestrian safety yet to see improvement. At least in New Delhi they've figured out that Pedestrians prefer jaywalking to using bridges, PWD to investigate .

But lest you get too depressed about the state of the pedestrian world, remember that L.A. County takes step to promote exercise, reduce obesity while a Council Considers Warning Surfaces For Pedestrian Plazas in New York, Cranford police get $6,000 federal grant for pedestrian safety in New Jersey, and Students' Dream for Seven Springs Middle Sidewalks About to Materialize. At least in some places Pedestrian safety a city priority, Wisconsin Rapids officials say--though maybe not in upstate New York, where Syracuse lawmakers reject new way to enforce sidewalk shoveling. Well, you can't win them all.

Complete Streets Goes Global

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Better Streets, Better Cities: A Guide to Street Design in Urban India, from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy and the Environmental Planning Collaborative might be intended for India, but it provides a nice template for complete streets guides anywhere in the world.

The guide begins by explaining in general what makes a "complete street," introducing the concept of the shared zone where pedestrians, bikes, and slow-moving vehicles use the roadway together and the mobility zone for faster-moving transit and other vehicles. It also outlines six key principles of complete streets design: 

• Safety
• Mobility
• Pedestrian Accessibility
• Liveability
• Sensitivity to Local Context
• Creative Use of Space

The remainder of the guide is devoted to a detailed explanation of each street element (bike lanes, median refuges, bus rapid transit lanes), identifying the purpose, significance and challenges to each,  an extensive collection of street design templates, and a step-by-step outline explaining how to redesign a roadway to transform it into a "complete" street. The guide places particular importance on understanding how pedestrians and others use the street before creating a new design, a step seems to be often lost in our top-down, cookie-cutter approach to street design.

While some of the concepts laid out in the guide may not apply here in the US (e.g. in most cities street vending is not such an integral component of the landscape), it's worth taking a look at Better Streets, Better Cities if you're hoping to create a complete streets policy of your own.

 

Even More Ped Jobs

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It might be rough out there in the job market, but at least it's a good time to be a pedestrian advocate...

Safe Routes to School National Partnership State Advocacy Organizers
Florida, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee
 
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is looking for six energetic and dynamic professionals (one per state) to work as state advocacy organizers in Florida, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Applications are due on Thursday, February 2nd, at 5:00 p.m. PT.

WalkDenver Program Intern

WalkDenver is seeking a bright, entrepreneurial, and self-motivated graduate student or a recent graduate to develop programs and membership for a new organization that seeks to promote quality, walk-friendly built environment that fosters healthy lifestyles and economic growth. This is a unique opportunity to become involved in a movement at the inception stage.

The ideal candidate will be a graduate student or recent graduate in urban design, planning or a related field who is passionate about walkability, active transportation and pedestrian-friendly built environment.

Pedestrian Safety Program Manager- PEDS Atlanta

The Pedestrian Safety Program Manager will educate transportation and law enforcement professionals, the media, and the general public about pedestrian safety problems and solutions by organizing and participating in meetings, workshops and media-generating events.

At least two years experience working with external partners, such as government agencies, the media and neighborhood associations. Experience managing special events or workshops required. Experience working collaboratively and managing multiple projects simultaneously required. Experience maintaining websites and fluency with social media desirable. Experience with advocacy and community level interventions desirable.

TO APPLY
Send cover letter and resume here
Applications will be accepted until February 6, 2012.

Retrofitting the Suburbs to Increase Walking

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This study by Marlon G. Boarnet, Kenneth Joh, Walter Siembab, William Fulton, and Mai Thi Nguyen examined travel patterns in eight neighborhoods in Los Angeles' South Bay region, comparing trends in "pedestrian-oriented centers" and "auto-oriented corridors" in an attempt to better understand what influences walking in suburban communities. The results have interesting policy implications for those of us who'd like to promote walkability in our neighborhoods.

Not surprisingly, people who live in pedestrian-oriented centers with "inwardly focused" street geometries walk more than those who live along auto-oriented corridors. The research showed that the number of businesses per acre is most strongly correlated with pedestrian trips, suggesting that "the key is not simply sales but a large number and variety of businesses in a relatively small area."

This led to a related question: can the residents and employees in pedestrian centers support the centers on their own, without "importing" outside customers? Interestingly, the answer was no. In the authors' words, "...pedestrian-oriented centers require a concentration of business activity larger than the local residents can support...people must drive from outside of the neighborhood to support the commercial activity that in turn encourages local residents to walk more."

What does all of this mean for those of us trying to create walkability? The authors offer several policy recommendations:

• suburban regions should focus both on fostering pedestrian centers and on knitting those centers together with transportation networks
• planners should promote the development of pedestrian centers by offering incentives such as density bonuses or the elimination of parking requirements
• transit services should be tailored to the suburbs, such as shuttles between neighborhoods or even neighborhood electric vehicles

While recognizing that turning suburbs into walking meccas will be challenging, this research provides planners, advocates, and policy-makers some realistic suggestions for addressing what is sure to be a key challenge of planning in the next few decades.

2012 Conferences

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If you're wondering how to spend your organization's training funding this year, here is perhaps the most comprehensive list of transportation- and planning-related conferences out there. Special thanks to John Westmore for creating this list...and the Perils for Pedestrians segments.

January16-17  Australian Cycling Conference; Adelaide, Australia
18-20 Nat'l Conf on Science, Policy and the Environment: Environment and Security; Washington, DC
18-20 U.S. Conference of Mayors, Winter Meeting; Washington, DC
18-20 National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD); Arlington, VA
22-26 Transportation Research Board; Washington, DC
23-25  Municipalika - Making Cities Work; Channai, India
23-27 World of Concrete; Las Vegas, NV
26-27 EMBARQ -- Transforming Transportation; Washington, DC
27-28 Iowa Bike Summit; Des Moines, IA
30-31  ASTM F13 Pedestrian/Walkway Safety and Footwear; Atlanta, GA

February1-2  Smart Cities; Amsterdam, Netherlands
1-3  Texas Trails and Active Transportation Conference; San Antonio, TX
2-4 New Partners For Smart Growth; San Diego, CA
6-7 The Future of Cities; London, UK
6-7  Colorado  Bike Summit; Denver, CO
7-9 National Evacuation Conference; New Orleans, LA
8 Intermodes; Brussels, Belgium
8-10  Sustainable Communities Conference; Ottawa, ON, Canada
10-11 Media That Matters, AU; Washington, DC
12-16 ATSSA - American Traffic Safety Services Assn. Convention and Traffic Expo; Tampa, FL
16-19 American Assn. of School Administrators, National Conference on Education; Houston, TX
21-24 Public Health Preparedness Summit; Anaheim, CA
22-24  National Walking and Cycling Conference; Hastings, New Zealand
24-28 Association of American Geographers; New York, NY
25 Alumni Day; Princeton, NJ
26-29  Conference on Play; Clemson, SC
26-29 AASHTO Washington Legislative Briefing; Washington, DC
27-3/1  Building Sustainable Communities; Kelowna, BC, Canada
28-3/1  HSR - High Speed Rail Summit; Washington, DC

This Week on Foot

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The first two weeks of 2012 are off to a busy start, with everyone trying to get into the walkability game. Microsoft awarded patent for dynamic walking directions that keep you safe, a Virginia County Government Augments Its Walkability Efforts, and there's A walk-up window in Georgetown for pedestrians to take advantage of.

And it's not just Americans interested in walkability. Dubai Mall launches pedestrian link project, while in Europe folks are wondering is neighborhood walkability a key element for Belgian adolescents? If it is, then Belgium should definitely pay attention to What Neighborhoods Need to Succeed at Walkability.

Of course, if they're wondering what hurts successful walkability, they could check out some of The Design Tragedies That Pass for Road “Improvements” It kind of makes you wonder Is this pedestrian safety or just pedestrian removal?
If you want to know what actually is pedestrian safety, you could check out this Interview with Walk Score CEO Josh Herst, or maybe learn How to Boost Biking and Walking in Your Town: Lessons From Minneapolis or take a peek at The variety of pedestrian bridges over Lake Shore Drive.

What you won't want to do is follow the lead of Tuscon, where Tucson pedestrian deaths/injuries nearly double. Parts of Florida aren't much better, like The Acreage scores worst in Florida for 'walkability,' company finds. Even in Japan they have some problems, at least according to the Pedestrian, cyclist criticize policy of allowing bicycles on Tokyo sidewalks.

Fortunately there's hope out there. When you're walking through Chicago and wondering Are Chicago’s pedestrian safety campaign posters too depressing? you can just think to yourself, "Maybe we just need to build a few more 'Pocket Neighborhoods' For Sustainable Suburbs...."

January Walking Events

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A few webinars and walks to keep you busy this month:

January 14, 9 am PST
WalkSanDiego La Jolla Community Walk

This will be the first of several walks this year to discover the rich history of La Jolla, visiting both the commercial district and some of the beautiful and historic neighborhoods. The walks are open to everyone; they are free to WalkSanDiego members, with a suggested $5 donation for non-members. No reservations needed. For further information, contact Dave Schumacher

January 18, 12 pm -1 pm PST
Emerging Technologies for Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning

Through a series of short presentations, this webinar will survey several applications with the potential to help engineers and planners improve conditions for bicycling and walking. The examples covered in this session will offer an overview of a range of situations where technological advances can aid professionals in their work to develop plans and programs. More information and registration here.

January 20, 12 pm- 1 pm PST
Visioning San Diego Lunch Forum

Dr. Tracy Delaney will provide and report on the accomplishments of the CPPW program, which is locally called Healthy Works. Its purpose is to improve the health and well being of local residents by making broad-based systems and environmental changes. She will also present information on a Community Transportation Grant that was recently awarded to the County by the Centers for Disease Control. The grant provides an additional $3 million for health related programs in San Diego County to help create healthier communities and halt spiraling health care costs for preventable chronic diseases.

Location: Downtown Information Center, 193 Horton Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
Tickets: $5.00 in advance, $7.00 at the door
RSVP here by January 17, 2012

January 31, 10 am -11 am PST
Pump Down the Volume: SRTS and Traffic Reduction 

In this sixty minute webinar, we will take a brief look at the problem of traffic congestion as it relates to SRTS and then focus on two SRTS programs that have had success in reducing congestion and measuring traffic reductions. This webinar is part of the Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. More information and registration here.

Freaking out about Walking Drunk

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You may have caught the recent Freakonomics broadcast on the perils of walking drunk, a story that's been causing controversy ever since it appeared in the opening chapters of Super-Freakonomics. The quick summary, for those in the dark, is that the Freakonomics authors did some number-crunching and determined that walking drunk is eight times more likely to get you killed than driving drunk.

According to co-author and economist Steven Levitt, "Truly, if you're faced exactly with two choices, walking drunk or driving drunk, you absolutely should drive drunk."

Shockingly, this statement upset some people. But is it true?

We know that in terms of deaths per trip, pedestrians are over-represented when compared to drivers or vehicle passengers. However, even though our Freakonomics friends threw out some assumptions about total miles walked in the US, we don't have great data on overall exposure to walking dangers (e.g. how do you count all those crashes that happen in parking lots?). Thus, contrary to what Levitt and company suggest, it's hard to actually know how dangerous walking is on a per-mile basis.

On the other hand, it's true that walking isn't always safe--particularly if you're walking home after a night at the bars. Nighttime walking, especially on weekends, is highly associated with pedestrian fatalities.  Of course, this is the case whether you're stumbling drunk or stone-cold sober (although it's worth noting that about a third of pedestrian fatalities involve drinking), but I suppose the publicity for your book is better if you focus on perils for tipsy pedestrians...

...which brings us back to Levitt's argument that you should drive, rather than walk, drunk. It could be true that driving is the "correct" choice if you're only considering your personal safety. However, as anyone who's taken Economics 101 could  point out (and has, if you read the comments on the Freakonomics page), there are significant external costs associated with both drunk driving and driving in general. Factor those in, and walking becomes much more appealing from an economic standpoint--but not safer for the pedestrian. Advocates, planners, and traffic engineers: that's your job.

Pedestrian Jobs Available

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If you're looking to start the new year with a new job, there are a couple of great opportunities for expert pedestrians available.

First, here in Los Angeles the LADOT is seeking at least two full-time consultants to develop a Safe Routes to School Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan will include the development of a Phase 1 ranked list of schools and recommendations for infrastructure and non­infrastructure safety countermeasures for implementation. Consultants will build networks and partnerships to deliver a feasible strategic plan based on data driven recommendations that has a broad base of support.
More information and application materials are available here.

On the other coast, Bike Walk Connecticut is seeking an Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for managing the overall affairs of Bike Walk Connecticut including the implementation of board-approved projects, programs, policies and procedures in fulfillment of its mission and strategic plan. More information is available on the Bike Walk Connecticut website here.

This Week on Foot

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As 2011 wraps up, we see Pedestrian Safety Changes Coming to Village in Ridgewood, but wonder
Did America's Cup Avenue Change Newport's Walkability? If not, then at least in Michigan Detroit Complete Streets Coalition Makes City Streets Safer For Bikers, Pedestrians, while further south

New Orleans' 'complete streets' ordinance draws praise.Of course, we could have figured this complete streets thing out a little sooner if we had paid attention to the Warning of Urban Sprawl...in 1959

 

Meanwhile, the Times Square Pedestrian Plaza Drives NY Post Columnist Mad, but in Janesville it's signs that are coming under fire with much Bash, bang, bother: Pedestrian signs face vehicular assault.

 

Thankfully it's not all negative news out there though, as Research offers fixes for Toronto's high-rise isolation and Pedestrian safety, new police chief among top Dublin stories in '11 in Columbus Ohio

 

Finally, for those in Washington who'd like to get more involved in pedestrian advocacy: Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board seeks new members.

And remember, New Year's Eve is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for pedestrians, so stay safe as you celebrate the start of 2012! 

Make 2012 Distraction-Free

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"Wear more red lipstick."

When I decided to limit my New Year's resolutions to one simple idea each year, that was what I started with. Last year it was the slightly more ambitious "Learn to bake a decent homemade chocolate chip cookie." My husband particularly enjoyed that one.

If you're searching for your own resolution this year, why not make it "Give up distracted driving"? Regular readers of this blog don't need to be reminded of the dangers of talking or texting while driving--but just in case you need a refresher you can find a nice summary here on the US government's distracted driving website. (I find it especially compelling to remember that using a cell phone--even hands-free--is like driving drunk.)

Driving used to be a time when we were safe from outside distractions, but now we feel obligated to use driving time "productively." It reminds me of a vintage ad for washing machines I saw once that showed a housewife relaxing with a drink in a lounge chair while the laundry ran. "Take a break while the washer does the work," the ad urged. But of course, instead of relaxation, that "found" time was only used to complete an ever-growing list of other chores and household obligations.

This Week on Foot

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This week we're reminded that Statistics show pedestrians at risk during holiday season, which perhaps is why in Las Vegas Santa Claus crosses Nellis to make the case for pedestrian safety. Meanwhile there's Growing concern over rise in Hispanic pedestrian deaths. Why have pedestrian accidents been increasing? we wonder, as a Pedestrian dies when struck by SUV in Panorama City, a
Good Samaritan, pedestrian remain hospitalized following crash near Klamath Falls, and in San Diego a Pedestrian killed by car was 17-year-old boy.

Fortunately, in Michigan there's a new Pedestrian safety law: New strobe lights and crosswalk rules approved in Ann Arbor. And other cities are working on pedestrian safety too: East Palo Alto moves to build pedestrian-bicycle bridge over 101, Pedestrian flags debut in Park Ridge, Sidewalk studies go full steam ahead in Florida and the Meridian Township to find ways to promote walking biking. Will one of those ways be scramble intersections? Maybe not in Canada, because although Vancouver sees future in ‘scramble’ intersections, Toronto sees congestion.

On the national level Biking and Walking Score Big in TIGER III, but elsewhere in the world Cyclists, walkers a neglected lot and a Raging cyclist mystifies pedestrian. Of course, what cyclists should be angry about is the fact that Funding for NH bike, pedestrian trails runs dry. Without funding, we're going to have a hard time Fixing suburbs with green streets that accommodate everyone. Perhaps the USDOT has some ideas about what to do about that problem in this Q & A with Polly Trottenberg, Asst Sec of Transportation Policy at the USDOT.

Finally, if you're looking for a good read over the holiday weekend, you might want to check out this piece from the Economist about The wisdom of crowds: The strange but extremely valuable science of how pedestrians behave. Happy Holidays!

Walking in Winter Wonderland

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The season of snow is upon us--well, those of us who live outside of Southern California anyway--and with it comes the perennial problem of snowy sidewalks. For those in more wintry climes, major snowfall can be a serious impediment to walkability. Particularly for less adroit walkers or for those in wheelchairs, navigating sidewalks-turned-snowdrifts is iffy at best.

Many northern cities address this issue by including sidewalk snow removal regulations in their municipal ordinances. Philadelphia, for example, requires "the owner, agent, and tenants of any building or premise shall clear a path of not less than 36 inches in width on all sidewalks, including curb cuts, abutting the building or premises within 6 (six) hours after the snow has ceased to fall." Saint Paul allows property owners a leisurely 24 hours for snow removal, while the ever-hurried residents of New York City have a mere four hours to comply.

Other cities vary slightly in timing and specific requirements, but nearly all stipulate that sidewalk snow removal 1) is the responsibility of adjacent property owners, 2) must be finished within a relatively short period of time following significant snowfall, and 3) if not completed according to city regulations can result in stiff fines. If you're interested in reading about more cities' policies, you can find a nice summary of a dozen or so here.

While having a strict snow-removal policy in place is a great start, those of us in the business of writing ordinances know all-too-well that having a law on the books doesn't always lead efficiently to the anticipated outcome. Tony Hull of Bike Walk Twin Cities tells the story nicely in a post from earlier this year on Seasonal Sidewalk Disorder: given the time it takes to process a violation, two weeks is a best case scenario for clearing a non-compliant sidewalk of snow.

Can you imagine the outcry if it took two weeks to clear roadways of snow after a storm?

This Week on Foot

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This week pedestrians scored a victory at the federal level as U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passed important T4-America policies in its portion of transportation reauthorization bill, including requirements for accommodation of pedestrians in federal surface transportation projects (aka complete streets). It's great news for pedestrians, as we know that Completing streets might prevent more ghosts

And across the country, others are also trying to save pedestrians' lives. In North Carolina, Troopers try to stop pedestrian deaths, announce crackdown, while in Austin Colorado Street to get wider sidewalks, fewer traffic lanes. In Philadelphia officials are urged to Protect pedestrians during Center City revival, while Developers aspire to create new public spaces in MidTown Oklahoma City    ,
CB1 Committee Backs Making a Tribeca Pedestrian Plaza Permanent in New York, and
Walkabout steps up ideas for Hernando in Tennessee.

All this hard work is important, especially since we see a  Growing trend in Bakersfield: Increase in pedestrian deaths. And guys should be especially concerned, especially if they live in New Jersey, where Male pedestrians more likely to be fatally struck than females along N.J. roads.

Elsewhere in the world there's a Plan to make city roads safer for pedestrians in Delhi, and in Australia there's a City taking right steps to encourage walking. But in the UK Ashford pedestrians avoid crossing in 'shared space', and the city is considering a return to more traditional crossings.

Of course, it's the traditional crossings that are problematic in Seattle, where there's no shortage of Crosswalk carnage: Why do cops still ignore drivers who won't yield? Hard to say, but maybe it would help if we Make Driving While Dialing the New DWI, as the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition suggests. More money can't hurt either, as we learn this week in Ventura’s Cool Video Calling for More Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding. And if nothing else works, maybe we can just keep Fighting Job Sprawl, and keep more jobs in walkable central cities. 

Cool Ped Stuff #19: Triple Plays

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It's been a while since I've been able to post about all things awesome in the ped world, so this week I've got three for you (with thanks to the America Walks forum for the first two):
Walking Apps
Everybody Walk! is an online campaign to encourage 30 minutes of walking, five days a week for better health. The new Everybody Walk app helps you find walking paths near you, connect with other walkers, and track your own routes and history. Find the links to download it here.
Haiku
For those hoping for a more poetic (if dark) take on pedestrian safety, the NY DOT has installed these haiku safety signs around the city. The campaign uses 17 syllables and clever graphics to remind pedestrians, cyclists and drivers about the dangers of careless behavior on the road. Read the full story from NPR here.

Video Advocacy
In yet another example of a creative approach to advocacy, our friends at the Right to Walk Foundation in Hyderabad, India just released this new video encouraging drivers to respect the rights of pedestrians in the city.

This Week on Foot

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This week we learn that As U.S. road deaths drop, more pedestrians getting struck, although no one seems to be able to figure out quite why that is due to the shameful lack of data on pedestrian travel in the US. Some theories are that more pedestrians are walking in the auto-oriented suburbs, smart phones are contributing to pedestrian distraction, or that alcohol maybe a factor, like the Pedestrian Fatally Struck by Car in Bel Air; May Have Been Under Influence of Alcohol.

But even if they can't figure them out, many officials are trying to do something about those discouraging pedestrian statistics. In Chicago Flags are newest weapon in city's pedestrian safety push, while in London they're taking a Walk on the wild side: Pedestrians could soon be given equal footing with cars (not entirely sure what's so "wild" about that...). In Tennessee Lawmakers Want Safe Solution After 8th Pedestrian Dies, to which I'm sure pedestrians across the state are saying "it's about time." In Las Vegas the it's the Parent of girl killed in traffic accident working to help improve pedestrian safety, where we're reminded No, you don't get points for hitting pedestrians.

Finally, You Like Walking in the City? So Do Plenty of Others, although Pedestrians reluctant to use overhead bridges. And outside central cities Walkable Neighborhoods Gaining Popularity -- Even in the Suburbs. So Take a Walk, If You Can (although if your neighborhood is like some of parts of India, that might be tough to do...). 

And we're back!

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With some nice photos of the walkable Northwest. Here are a few streets in Oregon that caught my eye as we traveled. Note the buildings that front the sidewalk, nice street furniture, and wide area for walking in this pic of Hood River:

With a street like this in Albany, with on-street parking and a relatively narrow space for vehicle travel, a zebra crossing can be enough for a pedestrian. Note also the street trees, decorative lighting, and (again) buildings fronting the sidewalk that are "human" scale.

I liked how this pocket park in Ashland made use of what might otherwise be wasted space, and in doing so made the entire area feel like it belonged to both pedestrians and vehicles.

But it wasn't just the street design that made Oregon so pedestrian-friendly, it was the clear culture of equality between pedestrians, bikes, and vehicles. I'm not quite sure how they've managed it, but somehow Oregonians have created cities where driving is downplayed, sharrows abound, and not stopping for a pedestrian is a gross violation of social norms. Maybe they put something in the microbrew?

Not intended to be ironic, but...

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A bit of trivia from our travel route: the 1958 Oregon State Dept. of Transportation promotional slogan was "Oregon freeways...a symbol of 2nd century progress." Take off the "Oregon" and I think that pretty much sums it up.

Ten Reasons I'm Thankful for Walkability

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1. Even my most expensive pair of shoes is cheaper than new tires.
2. There are no one-way sidewalks.
3. Unlike at the gym, if the person next to you grunts or wears too much perfume, you can walk away.
4. It's better at reducing healthcare costs than Congress.
5. No one celebrates International Drive to School Day.
6. A lot of people in the street = block party. A lot of cars in the street = roadblock.
7. You can't get a ticket for walking too fast.
8. Building a sidewalk next to your community doesn't increase asthma rates.
9. Bumping into someone you know while driving isn't a pleasant surprise.
10. You don't burn off Thanksgiving dinner by going for an after-meal drive.

Great LA Walk This Weekend

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Angelenos, don't forget about this Saturday's Great Los Angeles Walk 2011. Meet other walking enthusiasts, check out some of LA's fabulous neighborhoods, including Downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, and enjoy the afterparty at Locanda del Lago restaurant in Santa Monica. If 19 miles sounds too intimidating, you can find the full route on the Walk's website and just pick your favorite segment to complete.

The Habits of the Western Jay(walker)

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Our family is spending the next few weeks on an ambitious road trip from LA to the Pacific Northwest, which leaves little time for blogging, but much time to observe the pedestrian environments and walking habits in cities along the west coast. Aside from vast differences in walkability between a city like LA and one like San Francisco, I've been particularly struck by differences in jaywalking habits from place to place.

Based on my strictly unscientific observations, there is a distinct correlation between the walkability of a city and the tendency of its citizens to cross the street against traffic signals, midblock, and in other officially unsanctioned ways. The pedestrian advocate side of me is enthusiastic about this, but the driving-in-an-unfamiliar-city side finds it disconcerting that when my signal is green a pedestrian might still dart out in front of me.

Proponents of the "shared space" concept, and its close cousin the woonerf, suggest that one solution to this problem is to ditch the traffic signals altogether and reintroduce the idea of the street as common space for all users. The thought is that removing signage and signals would force roadway users to rely on eye contact and social interaction to navigate streets, thus improving roadway safety by eliminating "mindless" driving.

There are several successful examples of this idea out there (e.g. New Zealand, the UK), and just on this trip I've noticed shared space used informally in small towns like Ferndale, CA. But what about in the heart of a big city like Portland or San Francisco? Is it courting disaster to open up major streets to a vehicle/cyclist/transit/pedestrian free-for-all, or is it just returning the streets to a happier time when they belonged to everyone and people paid attention to the environment around them when they traveled?

This Week on Foot

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This week the Two-Year Transpo Bill Moves on to Full Senate Without Bike/Ped Protections, which sounds discouraging--but according to our friends at Streetsblog there are Nine Reasons For Bike/Ped Advocates to Take Heart: The Senate Edition.

Unfortunately, here in California there aren't so many reasons to take heart. There was a Pedestrian killed outside Camarillo, and there was an Arrest in Santa Ana toddler pedestrian death.

Elsewhere in the country a Fatal hit-and-run raises safety concerns in Dallas and an Ann Arbor pedestrian safety ordinance repeal proposed in response to concerns from councilmembers. On top of it all, The Pedestrian Loses the Way when it comes to bikes and sidewalks, at least in the opinion of one NY Times columnist. I guess it's more than just the Time Change Hazardous To Pedestrians.

Fortunately,  UNLV seeks scientific way to curb pedestrian death and a New bicycle, pedestrian committee launches in Baltimore County. Meanwhile, Pedestrians called to action in Ottawa and they're Making city streets safer for pedestrians in Philadelphia.

Oh, and in these tough economic times want One way to save money? Walk!       

Research and Resources

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Wow, there is a whole bunch of great stuff out there these days for pedestrian advocates.
Model Design Manual for Living Streets
Courtesy of the County of LA, this new manual has been generating a lot of buzz in the Complete Streets world. More info from the authors:
"The Model Street Design Manual was created during a 2-day writing charrette, which brought together national experts in living streets concepts. This effort was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. This manual focuses on all users and all modes, seeking to achieve balanced street design that accommodates cars while ensuring that pedestrians, cyclists and transit users can travel safely and comfortably. This manual also incorporates features to make streets lively, beautiful, economically vibrant as well as environmentally sustainable."

American Council of the Blind Pedestrian Safety Handbook
The third edition of the Council's Pedestrian Safety Handbook, the new online version of the handbook is envisioned as a "living document" that can be updated on an ongoing basis to address evolving vehicle technology and roadway design feathers.

Pedestrian Countermeasure Policy Best Practice Report

A discussion of relevant policies related to medians, refuge islands, walkways and shoulders from several states throughout the US.
State Best Practice Policy for Shoulders and Walkways
A brief summary of three state departments of transportation (New York State Department of Transportation, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation) that have implemented policies and plans that promote the inclusion of paved shoulders and walkways.
State Best Practice Policy for Medians
A short description of three agencies that have implemented policies and plans that promote the inclusion of raised medians: the New York State Department of Transportation, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Florida Department of Transportation.
Safe Routes to School: Helping Communities Save Lives and Dollars
A comprehensive discussion of the SRTS program, along with specific data covering a variety of areas (e.g. traffic congestion, busing costs, physical activity) to help advocates make the case for SRTS.

Street Network Types and Road Safety: A Study of 24 California Cities
This study uses data from over 130,000 crashes in 24 cities to evaluate whether or not street network types affect roadway safety. The results show a correlation between roadway safety and both street network density and connectivity, with the highest risk of fatal or severe crashes occurring with very low street network density, and safety outcomes improving as intersection density increases.

Predicting Walkability
This research provides new methodologies for predicting the quality of the walking environment from the perspective of the user using operational and physical variables. The formulas were derived by combining the perception data gathered from participants in the community street reviews with measurements of the walking environment.

The Street Level Built Environment and Physical Activity and Walking: Results of a Predictive Validity Study for the Irvine Minnesota Inventory
The Irvine Minnesota Inventory (IMI) was designed to measure environmental features that may be associated with physical activity and particularly walking. This study assesses how well the IMI predicts physical activity and walking behavior and develops shortened, validated audit tools.

The authors find that while this inventory provides reliable measurement of urban design features, only some of these features present associations with increased or decreased walking. Characteristics of the sidewalk infrastructure, street crossings and traffic speeds, and land use are more strongly associated with walking for travel, while factors that measure aesthetics are typically less strongly associated with walking for travel.

Crossing Solutions at Roundabouts and Channelized Turn Lanes for Pedestrians with Disabilities
This report explores concerns over the accessibility of two complex intersection forms for pedestrians who are blind: intersections with channelized right turn lanes and modern roundabouts with one-lane and two-lane approaches. Based on the findings of this research project, significant impediments to the accessibility of these sites exist for pedestrians who are blind, but some crossing solutions can increase the accessibility in terms of improving safety and reducing delay.
Assessing the perceived safety risk from quiet electric and hybrid vehicles to vision-impaired pedestrians
This study investigates the accident risk posed by electric and hybrid vehicles and compares it with that for equivalent vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines to determine whether electric/hybrid vehicles are audibly more difficult to detect. This report presents the findings from the study, based upon a review of accident statistics, a programme of practical measurements to compare the noise of electric/hybrid and internal combustion engine vehicles, and a small-scale subjective assessment of the noise from these vehicles involving visually impaired participants.

Reducing Pedestrian Delay at Traffic Signals
This research, which was carried out between 2007 and 2010 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, used techniques such as pedestrian attitude surveys, micro-simulation modelling and a literature review of international best practice to identify methods of reducing pedestrian delay at signalized intersections in these cities.

Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do

This report reviews and summarizes distracted driving research available as of January 2011 to inform states and other organizations as they consider distracted driving countermeasures. It concentrates on distractions produced by cell phones, text messaging, and other electronic devices brought into the vehicle. It also considers other distractions that drivers choose to engage in, such as eating and drinking, personal grooming, reading, and talking to passengers.

Effect of 20 mph traffic speed zones on road injuries in London, 1986-2006: controlled interrupted time series analysis
This report quantifies the effect of the introduction of 20 mph traffic speed zones on road collisions, injuries, and fatalities in London based on analysis of geographically coded police data on road casualties between 1986-2006.

This Week on Foot

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This week we ask, is it the End of the road for the zebra? Perhaps there are safer alternatives out there for pedestrian crossings, and it's time to move on from the stripes. Colorado seems to think so, where they're wondering about the Aspen airport pedestrian crossing: Over or under?

Either option would have been better for the Pedestrian Struck & Killed While Crossing Ventura Freeway. Fortunately, things turned out better in Michigan, where according to an Ann Arbor resident: Collision at pedestrian crosswalk 'could have been tragic'.

Of course, some believe it's all the fault of the pedestrian, like this Devil’s Advocate: Careless pedestrians put themselves at risk by ignoring traffic safety laws, but we know the bigger problem is the Utter disregard for pedestrians' right, don't we?

At least in some places there's a little regard for the pedestrian, like in Ashland, Oregon where Pedestrian-friendly ideas approved, Salt Lake City where Transportation policy to consider needs of cyclists, pedestrians and more, or in Mississippi where there's a Pedestrian trail project planned for downtown Jackson. Hopefully these ideas catch on at higher levels as well, and just in case there's some hesitation here are 3 Reasons Congress Shouldn’t Abandon Cyclists And Pedestrians. My fingers are crossed that Congress acknowledges the value of  Wheels & Heels: Pedestrian-Friendly Streets Good for Business.

Some cyclists definitely see that value, such as this Bicycling group wants pedestrian mall on Pacific: Panels to weigh proposal for two-way traffic Thursday. Guess they understand that "Urbanism is Sustainable".

Speaking of sustainability, ever wonder What does trick-or-treating tell us about sustainable living? Maybe it's the same lesson we learn about Making cities healthier (and livelier) with a 'walking school bus' and vitality makeover. (Hint: Sustainable Communities focus on livability, walkability).

Finally, with winter snows upon (some of) us, it's good to know that in the PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP: Residents will have to shovel sidewalks after 1 inch of snowfall

November Walking Events

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A few activities to keep you busy this month....

November 2
Update on the Proposed Rule for Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time

Scott Windley, Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board, will deliver detailed information about the proposed rule regarding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, including pedestrian accessible routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, street crossings, on-street parking, street furniture, and more. The comment period for the proposed rule-making is open through November 23. Attend this webinar to learn what you should incorporate into your plans in order to comply with ADA.

Site license fee: $75 (free for APBP members)
APBP has applied to the AICP for 1.5 Certification Maintenance credits. 

Register here. For more information, contact Debra Goeks (or 262-228-7025).

November 12
WalkSanDiego Community Walk: Walk to Cabrillo Lighthouse
9:00 am

Meet at parking lot at Catalina Blvd and Electron Drive (across from Point Loma Credit Union)

Let's take a beautiful fall walk along the Point Loma peninsula, visiting the historic Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and Cabrillo National Monument. Some fascinating history along the way of little known facts/trivia about the two sites. About 6 miles round trip with gently rolling hills (one-way shuttle option available – please contact Dave if interested).

Bring $3 for entrance fee to Cabrillo monument.

November 18
WalkSanDiego Visioning San Diego lunch forum: Creating a Walkable Downtown: Oceanside’s Mission Avenue Redesign
12:00 pm

Hear how a road diet and back-in parking along Mission Avenue will enhance bicycle and pedestrian activity and link public transit to downtown amenities. Speakers: David DiPierro, Oceanside Traffic Engineer and Kathy Baker, Oceanside Redevelopment Manager

Location: Encinitas City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Avenue, Poinsettia Room

RSVP here by Tuesday, November 15th
$5.00 in advance, $7.00 at the door

November 19
The Great LA Walk

Participants will meet downtown at City Hall (facing Temple St.) at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, and proceed to walk the approximately 19-mile journey to the Pacific Ocean.
For the Great Los Angeles Walk 2011, we're going to trek through the neighborhood that symbolizes L.A.'s most famous export -- Hollywood. Think Musso & Frank's; Grauman's Egyptian and Chinese Theatres; the Walk of Fame; the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; Capitol Records Building; the Pantages; Hollywood and Vine; and much more. 

In case you're new to what we do, here's the rundown: We walk just to walk. No money, no agenda. The Great Los Angeles Walk is a completely free event; as a matter of fact, it operates without any budget whatsoever. Participants handle their own meals along the way, via local businesses and food trucks.

More info available online here.

Don't Become a Ghost This Halloween

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It's one of the three deadliest nights of the year for pedestrians (the others fall around Christmas and New Year's Eve), particularly for young walkers: deaths among pedestrians between 5 and 14 years are four times higher on Halloween than other nights of the year. If you're trick-or-treating--or driving--make sure to take special care tonight.

This Week on Foot

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This week they're thinking a lot about pedestrian safety in Chicago, where Mannequins help kick off pedestrian safety blitz and Red light cameras reduce speeding. Similarly there are Pedestrian crossing improvements considered for Plymouth Road and Washtenaw Avenue in Ann Arbor, and further east the NJDOT to install sidewalks in shopping district and AARP NJ Urges Rep. LoBiondo to Work for Safer Streets. Even as far away as Japan Cops want bikes off sidewalks / Pedestrian safety the aim of crackdown on bicycle road rules

But the cops have other ideas in Austin, where the appropriately-named PEST (Pedestrian Enforcement Safety Team) is going after walking violations as  Police teams scan streets more closely.
Could this be part of a War on pedestrians? Jaywalking tickets rise in Seattle as well, although admittedly pedestrians can sometimes be their own worst enemy, like the Drunken pedestrians faulted in Santa Rosa crashes.

However, the pedestrian certainly wasn't to blame when a Driver hanging up her cellphone admits killing young pedestrian in St. Paul, or a Pedestrian killed in Santa Monica hit-and-run. And it's no wonder that East Palo Alto residents demand more pedestrian safety after 6-year-old’s death.

Speaking of young pedestrians, Angelenos are wondering this week: Is Westwood the Best Neighborhood for Trick-or-Treating in L.A.? Zillow thinks so, but some people (like Curbed readers) aren't so sure...

Pedestrian/Bicycle Data Collection and Prioritization Survey

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The National Cooperative Highway Research Program and Transportation Research Board would like your help in understanding pedestrian and bicycle prioritization strategies. Please give them a hand by completing a brief survey, available online here.

More info on the project and survey from NCHRP and TRB:

This survey asks about methodologies for collecting and analyzing bicycle and pedestrian data and prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle projects. We seek input from federal agencies, states, MPOs, counties, local jurisdictions of all sizes, transit agencies, colleges and universities, school districts, and public works and utililties departments. We also seek input from private sector transportation professionals, academics, non-profits, activists, and others. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A METHODOLOGY, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! We will use this information to develop recommended methodologies for transportation agencies to evaluate and prioritize improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists along existing roads.

This survey should take about 20 minutes to complete (but I finished it more quickly than that, so you probably can too!). Surveys should be submitted by Friday, November 4, 2011.

Best Trick-or-Treat for your Feet

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Real estate site Zillow has once again released its annual list of the best US cities for trick-or-treating. Using data on walkability, population density, crime, and home value, Zillow ranks the top 20 cities for candy gathering, along with the best neighborhoods for little ghouls in each city. (Here in LA, that would be Westwood, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Bel Air, and Venice.)

1.  San Francisco
2. Boston
3. Honolulu
4. Seattle
5. Chicago
6. San Jose
7. Washington
8. Los Angeles
9. Philadelphia
10. Portland
11. Minneapolis
12. Pittsburgh
13. San Diego
14. Cleveland
15. Miami
16. Denver
17. Milwaukee
18. Virginia Beach
19. Baltimore
20. Albuquerque 

This Week on Foot

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This week the Transportation Enhancements Program Beats Back Another Assault from the Senate, but we're still in the midst of The War On Kids, the Elderly, and Other People Who Walk--and their pets, like in TEMECULA: Pedestrian, 81, and dog killed Sunday.

And it's not just in California that folks are worried: 2011 pedestrian deaths causing concern in Arizona, and Pedestrian Deaths on the Rise in Reno. It kind of makes you want to avoid the well-intentioned advice of Transportationist, who suggests you Walk don't run across crosswalks to emphasize the point that roads aren't just for vehicles.

Fortunately in Jakarta they aren't as wimpy as me, where Pedestrians fight for their right to sidewalks. And congratulations are in order for our friends in India, where Model footpaths planned on five roads thanks to their advocacy efforts.

Back here in LA, the City considers making homeowners responsible for sidewalk repairs and legally liable for mishaps, which of course outrages Daily News readers here in the Valley. Fortunately in some places they're more enthusiastic about pedestrian improvements, like in Texas where according to a Dallas council member: Time to act on Complete Streets. Similarly, San Mateo plans to make city streets safer for pedestrians, but funding questions linger.

Funding is also a question for a small city in Canada, where a Pedestrian overpass over roundabout would be pricey. At least it wouldn't be a Bridge to nowhere: Pedestrian bridge linking students to classrooms in southwest Loveland closed. Maybe a better idea is just to add a pedestrian path, like in Pennsylvania where Fahy Bridge to get pedestrian lane next to unsafe sidewalks.

Perhaps New York should try the same thing for some of its neighborhoods, as this week we learned that Midtown is NY's most dangerous for pedestrians. And you thought it was just New Yorkers' bad attitudes that were scary...

Tell Your Story

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The National Complete Streets Coalition is looking for real-life stories about the importance of complete streets in your community, and successes you've had in implementing them. In particular, they're looking for examples that demonstrate how

• Complete Streets policies are necessary to accommodate existing users
• Complete Streets can be achieved within existing budgets.
• Complete Streets can lead to new transportation funding opportunities.
• Complete Streets add lasting value.

Follow the directions here to share a few sentences, a quote or photograph about your experiences with complete streets.