War or Peace? Exploring the Relationship between Bikes and Peds

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A recent question from a reader got me thinking once again about our friends on two wheels. I'll say up front that while I like and appreciate bikes--I have even been known to occasionally ride the one I own--I've always found it odd that they are inevitably grouped together with pedestrians. Given their widely differing demographics, trip lengths and purposes, and infrastructure needs, lumping cyclists with pedestrians strikes me as akin to calling submarines and spacecraft the same because both require users to travel with their own oxygen.

Nonetheless, it seems impossible for transportation policymakers to separate the two, and although there are some extraordinary partnerships between the modes (e.g. the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center), just as often we hear of intense conflicts as cyclists and pedestrians jostle for urban space. Are we really at war, as so many news articles claim? Let's examine the issues.

Behavior
My observation is that when pedestrians complain about cyclists, they're most often grousing about illegal or inconsiderate behaviors: riding on sidewalks (where prohibited), riding too fast or in the wrong direction, or generally riding in ways that make pedestrians feel unsafe. (To be fair, cyclists could say the same about pedestrians).

While there are always going to be people who behave badly no matter what the circumstances,  a combination of enforcement and educational campaigns can help address these problems. This is an area where a partnership between cyclists and pedestrians can be particularly effective, as the two groups could work together to develop formal Codes of Conduct for both walkers and riders, lobbying for increased or clearer signage on shared paths, or create informational websites, signs, or brochures to help the public understand the expectations for all users.

Success! Sort of...

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Thanks to your efforts, Senator Coburn temporarily softened his opposition to transportation enhancement funding and allowed federal surface transportation legislation to move forward...for now. But he's brokering a deal that will allow an "opt out" of those pesky enhancements like ped and bike projects as part of a future, long-term transportation bill. Read all about it on Streetsblog, and stay tuned for more calls to action.

This Week on Foot

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Disappointingly (though expected), this week Coburn Blocks Quick Senate Vote on Transportation Extension, leading to a reminder from T4America to Sen. Coburn: Cutting Bike/Ped Won’t Fix Oklahoma’s Problems. In fact, just the opposite, as we learn this week about how improving walking infrastructure is part of How to Build a Greener City, not to mention The suburb — in search of an identity. It's all about that Good Old Brand-New Urbanism.

And some places in the country get that. In Orlando a Project's goal: Make streets safer for pedestrians, Virginia promotes safety for cyclists, pedestrians, in Boston Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Day Returns to BU, and  Safe Kids Greater Chattanooga And FedEx Unveil Pedestrian Safety Improvements.

But it's not all rosy out there. In New York Two Manhattan Pedestrians Killed 24 Hours Apart, while in the ultimate irony a Pedestrian Horror: Woman Injured By Falling Walk Signal.

From walk signals to sidewalks, in Atlanta they're wondering Who Should Fix Our Broken Sidewalks? And sadly, in Chicago we learn that Suburban police write few tickets on crosswalk law

Perhaps its because the focus in that city is on the danger from bicycles, where a Cyclist Cell Phone Ban Mulled By Chicago City Council. And it's not just Chicago that's thinking about the relationship between cyclists and pedestrians. Across the ocean In city of cyclists, pedestrians feel the squeeze. Could we really be talking about The cyclists’ war on pedestrians?

Hopefully not, because pedestrians have enough to contend with from other quarters, like across the ocean where a Rhos-on-Sea pedestrian crossing hits stumbling block due to business owners' concerns about pedestrians interfering with parking. Because after all, it's the cars that do the shopping, not the people...

Upcoming Webinars

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A bunch of interesting and (mostly) free webinars to up your pedestrian and transportation expertise.

September 20, 12:00 pm PT
2011 National Walking Survey Results

America Walks, the American Public Health Association, and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals have teamed up to present a free webinar on the National Walking Survey. Panelists will discuss the findings from the 7,000 who responded to the online survey and address the potential implications for advancing walking and health-related policies and programs. The webinar's capacity is limited, so register today here.

September 21, 12:00 pm PT
APBP Professional Development Webinar Series - ADA Compliance: Self-evaluation and Transition Plans

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in place for over 20 years, many communities still struggle to understand the parameters of the obligation to make the public right of way accessible or have not established a comprehensive transition plan to address deficiencies. This webinar offers two examples of recent plans and the process through which they were developed. Representatives from Hennepin County, Minnesota, and Miami/Dade County, Florida, will present case studies from their communities; the session also includes a brief update from the U.S. Access Board on the updated accessibility guidelines and the proposed rule-making on shared use paths.

These examples will offer insight into common issues: the self-evaluation process, including methods of data collection and prioritizing projects; implementing, financing and documenting corrective measures; how to update policies and practices; and establishing a protocol for regular updates to the transition plan once it has been adopted.

Register here.

September 22, 10:00 am PT
Creating Pedestrian-Friendly Streets: A Short Walk Through Legal and Practical Issues

Join us for a webinar on key practical and legal considerations involved in creating pedestrian-friendly streets. You’ll also learn about policy tools that can make walkable streets the default in your community, including our new directory filled with examples of codes from communities across the country that make streets safer and more comfortable for pedestrians.

We’ll be joined by Scott Bricker from America Walks, who will offer success stories, challenges, and tips from communities nationwide. He’ll also present data from a recent national survey on walking habits and talk about how this information can be used in advocacy campaigns.

Register here.
                  
October 12, 11:00 am PT
Public Involvementin the Transportation Planning Process―Webinar

The National Center on Senior Transportation will partner with Easter Seals Project ACTION to present a webinar on Public Involvement in the Transportation Planning Process. This event is designed for transportation advocates who want to come to the table better informed and prepared better informed and prepared to offer input that will be heard, understood and incorporated into their regional transportation plans.

Register by October 7 here.

Action Alert from America Walks

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Those of you who have been less distracted by poopy diapers than me have probably been following the debate over the extension of federal transportation funding closely, but just in case you haven't here's an important request from America Walks to show your support for ped and bike funding ASAP. If I can find time to do it, so can you!

Save Transportation Enhancements in the Transportation ExtensionContact Your Senators Today to Preserve Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding

This year, around $700 million of Federal transportation funds, which is less than 2 percent of total transportation dollars, will be spent on bicycling and walking.  In 2012 that figure could be a big fat zero if Senator Coburn (R-OK) gets his way.

In the next few days, Senator Coburn (R-OK) is expected to try and hold up the extension of the SAFETEA-LU transportation bill unless Congress eliminates funding for the federal Transportation Enhancements (TE) program.  For twenty years, Transportation Enhancements has been the primary funding source for sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes, trails and more.

Sen. Coburn is threatening to let tens of billions of transportation spending expire after September 30 (the current expiration of SAFETEA-LU) over the small amount that bicycling and walking receives.  If Sen. Coburn were to succeed, it would mean an immediate end to funding for Transportation Enhancements.  It would also mean that our chances of sustaining any funding for bicycling and walking (including for Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails) in the long-term reauthorization bill would be more difficult.

Members of Congress who oppose bicycling and walking funding are saying that these projects are “job-killing regulations.”  But, bicycle and pedestrian projects create more jobs per dollar than highway-only projects.  And, bicycle and pedestrian projects help alleviate traffic congestion, improve safety, get people active, and give us all more transportation options.

Please take two minutes to contact your Senators today to urge them to vote against the Coburn amendment and sustain dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements.  Don’t let them take away this vital investment program for smart, sustainable, safe transportation choices.

Thank you for your action. With your help, we can preserve funding for bicycling and walking in the extension and put us in a better position for the long-term transportation bill.