Chapter 2: Who can help me make my neighborhood a safer place to walk?
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Step 5: Build support for long-term change
Obtaining long-term commitments from key players to make a community safer for walking requires that pedestrian safety be a priority within the transportation planning and decision-making system. There are three parties that can influence community change: local government staff, residents or community groups, and elected officials. To have a good chance of improving safety, two or three of the parties need to support and work for change.
Build support with local government staff
You and other community members can help prioritize pedestrian safety in transportation planning by asking your transportation professionals and community leaders to:
- Establish a pedestrian advisory committee or board (PAC or PAB) if there isn't one already.
- Create a position for a dedicated pedestrian coordinator.
- Include pedestrians in the master transportation planning process.
- Conduct periodic walking tours with town staff, community members, elected officials, etc.
- Collect data on pedestrian accommodations (e.g., sidewalk, crossing, or lighting inventories) and usage (e.g., pedestrian and bicyclist counts).
- Develop a pedestrian plan, complete with a vision, measurable goals and objectives (for pedestrian safety, access, etc.), strategies for meeting those goals, and dedicated funding and staff.
- Establish performance measures for safety, usage, pedestrian accommodations, and other programs—these act like a report card for how well the agency is meeting its goals and objectives.
- Assess existing ordinances and policies related to pedestrians and ensure they support walking.
- Establish procedures for performing roadway maintenance, installing sidewalks, and identifying and addressing pedestrian problems.
- Train agency transportation planners and traffic engineers in pedestrian planning and design.
- Develop partnerships and improved communication between agencies responsible for pedestrian infrastructure, including roadway maintenance crews, traffic signal operators, roadway designers and planners, and transit planners and operators.
- Encourage projects and programs that can support and promote safe walking and safe walking environments.
For More Information:
There are several examples of successful pedestrian coalitions that have brought together a wide range of people to improve conditions for walking:
- Feet First Seattle (http://www.feetfirst.info/aboutus)
- Walk Boston (http://www.walkboston.org/)
- Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition (http://www.vtbikeped.org/)
Tips for starting or joining an advocacy organization can be found at http://www.walkinginfo.org and http://www.americawalks.org.
Build support with local residents and community groups
- Join or form a pedestrian coalition—Joining or forming a coalition of groups with similar interests can strengthen your likelihood of success in working with city staff and elected officials to make pedestrian improvements. Partners in the coalition may include:
- Law enforcement officials, including officers and members of the judiciary.
- Health industry, including doctors, nurses, dieticians, and health educators.
- People in transportation and development, including engineers, planners, and developers.
- Parents, senior citizens, schools, parks, and recreation departments.
- Area residents and neighborhood associations.
- Local business leaders.
- Look for state or national organizations—These can provide you or your community with support. For national advocacy group contact materials, see the Links and References section in Chapter 4.
- Look for existing coalitions in your area—Visit the Links and References section in Chapter 4 to find coalitions and alliances related to walking.
- Join or speak with your local pedestrian advisory board —Most medium to large communities will have a pedestrian advisory board or committee (PAB or PAC). Members of community boards/committees can be:
- Partners for advocacy efforts.
- Liaisons to local planning and engineering officials.
- A good resource for finding out what is going on in your local community.
Many communities also have separate disability advisory boards, or sub-groups within the PAB concerned with issues related to young pedestrians, older pedestrians, and people with disabilities. You can usually find the contacts for your local PAB through your city, town, or county Web site or phone directory. If your area does not have a PAB, then you can work with your local elected officials to create a PAB through an official action or resolution.
Build support with elected officials
Elected leaders (such as city council members, county commissions, board of supervisors, or school board trustees) can be targets for advocating safer pedestrian facilities. You can:
- Write or call a member or the chairperson and discuss the issues one-on-one.
- Request time at the next meeting of elected officials to speak about pedestrian safety.
- Prepare a brief presentation or handout that includes images that demonstrate your key points. For example, if you are explaining to the school board that the school pick up and drop off area is chaotic, provide photos that support your assertion.
- Invite officials on a walking tour to experience the conditions that you are trying to improve. This is often a very effective method of getting elected officials to recognize pedestrian concerns and participate in the improvement process.
For More Information:
See an example pedestrian safety initiative by a public official in Montgomery County, Maryland: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cittmpl.asp?url=/Content/PIO/news/pedestriansafety/index.asp.
Community Success Story 3: Agencies Work with Community Members to Create Action Plan
Charleston, South Carolina
In 2003, in response to community pressure to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG)—the region's MPO—submitted a successful proposal for funding to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living by Design Program. The $200,000 grant funded the creation of a regional bicycle and pedestrian action plan as well as a partnership to promote health and active living.
The partnership included a bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the Medical University of South Carolina, and several healthcare organizations. The action plan contained three main goals: 1) to implement a Safe Routes to School program, 2) to implement "complete streets" policies to make roads accessible for all users, and 3) to begin community intervention programs to improve bicycling and walking conditions. These goals were accomplished through an organized framework that outlined specific actions and performance measures for each of these goals.
The community was involved during the planning process. During the creation of the long-range transportation plan, the BCDCOG distributed a survey asking local residents how much they would spend on different transportation infrastructure elements if given just $100. On average, respondents allocated $24 for pedestrian and bicycle improvements, in contrast to the existing allocation of $0.05 for every $100 spent currently. The agency took steps towards narrowing this discrepancy by allocating $30 million for pedestrian and bicycle improvements over the next 21 years.
For more information, visit the BCDCOG Web site at http://www.bcdcog.com/.
Community Success Story 4: Community Action and Fundraising
Portland, Oregon
A determined community member in Portland, Oregon, took the lead to support pedestrian safety after a local resident was killed crossing a street at night in the rain. As the new co-chair of the transportation committee for her all-volunteer neighborhood association, she had the idea to create bright fluorescent yellow umbrellas marked with pedestrian crossing symbols and transparent sections to look through. With this innovative design, pedestrians could stay dry in the rainy climate and act as their own moving pedestrian crossing sign at the same time.
She contacted the owner of a local umbrella company who was eager to work with her and agreed to put the new product in their catalog. To get funding for the project, she submitted grants to two main sources: the City's Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and a local grant program set up to offset the inconvenience caused by a nearby waste transfer station.
In addition, she contacted the city council with specific requests: the installation of painted crosswalks at every intersection in the neighborhood, an in-street pedestrian crossing sign, and traffic calming. The Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) granted the requests. The City also conducted active crosswalk enforcement to deter crosswalk violations.
PDOT continues to work with community members and neighborhood organizations to hold safety fairs, where the umbrellas are sold at a reduced cost. PDOT also purchased umbrellas to distribute to older pedestrians at senior centers and food distribution centers.
For more information, visit http://portlandtransport.com/archives/2007/02/proactive_pedes.html.
Community Success Story 5: Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety Campaign
Burlington, Vermont
The Burlington Department of Public Works is one partner in a long-term effort to institutionalize pedestrian safety in Burlington's community. In 2006, they launched an annual pedestrian safety campaign, based on materials in the Federal Highway Administration's Pedestrian Safety Campaign Planner (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_program/pedcampaign/index.htm). The campaign included engineering, education, and enforcement components.
For the engineering component, the town worked to:
- Develop a multi-modal transportation improvement plan.
- Plan, develop, and construct an inter-modal transit facility in downtown Burlington to improve pedestrian access to transit.
- Improve circulation and access around the waterfront for all modes, with particular emphasis on enhancing the safety and convenience of pedestrian travel.
- Facilitate the development of pedestrian improvements in key locations.
On the enforcement side, the Department worked with the mayor and police department to distribute educational materials to violators, with specific information targeted at motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. Extra enforcement in the downtown area focused on bicycle- and pedestrian-related violations.
For the education component, public service announcements were broadcast over radio and television and displayed on safety slides at the downtown cinema. The Department of Public Works collaborated with the mayor, police department, and local advocacy organizations to develop press releases and hold press conferences highlighting safety initiatives, using the media to spread the message. Additionally, safety coupons were designed and distributed for discounts on reflective clothing and other safety products. For more information, visit: http://www.dpw.ci.burlington.vt.us/transportation/bikewalk/safety/.
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