Report - Dangerous By Design

Researchers at the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership in the 1990s developed the Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI) in order to establish a level playing field for comparing metropolitan areas based on the danger to pedestrians. The PDI corrects for the fact that the cities where more people walk on a daily basis are likely to have a greater number of pedestrian fatalities, by computing the rate of pedestrian deaths relative to the amount of walking residents do on average.

The PDI shows that the most dangerous places to walk are those that fail to make smart infrastructure investments that make roads safer for everyone.

City Streets a Mortal Threat to Pedestrians

A report finds more than 43,000 pedestrians nationwide have died this decade on roads the authors complain don’t provide adequate crosswalks and other safety features.

The report, by Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, says states simply aren’t spending enough to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility. Less than 1.5 percent of total transportation funds are spent on such measures, even though pedestrians comprise 11.8 percent of all traffic deaths.

The authors complain that states aren’t spending enough to make roads safer for people who are on foot, on a bike or in a wheelchair. The report finds wide disparities in the amount each state spends. For example, Providence, Rhode Island, spends $4.01 per person to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety, while Orlando spends 87 cents.

“Too many transportation agencies have focused their investments on serving vehicles that result in unsafe, unhealthy environments for walking and bicycling,” said Anne Canby, president of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. “It’s time recipients of federal taxpayers’ money were held accountable for addressing this epidemic of preventable deaths.”

Councillors back $22M active transportation plan

Edmonton Sun, November 18
Author: Frank Landry

The wheels are moving on a plan to make Edmonton a more bicycle-friendly city. A committee of council yesterday endorsed a plan to spend $22 million over the next three years on projects that encourage "active transportation."

That includes things like building more multi-use trails and dedicated bike lanes, as well as installing more bike racks.

The $22 million works out to about 1.5% of the transportation department's capital budget, up from the 1% that was initially earmarked.

Pedestrian link urged west of 14th Street S.W.

Calgary Herald, November 4
Author: Jason Markusoff

The concept map for the West Village features what is becoming a mainstay in urban renewal plans for Calgary: an architecturally striking pedestrian bridge. The ultramodern blueprint suggests a twin-arch Bow River crossing between 14th Street and Crowchild Trail S.W.

And outside the core, there are long-range plans for a pedestrian link as part of Bowness Park's renovation, which would span the Bow to Baker Park.

There's at least one other pedestrian bridge proposed, spanning the Elbow River between Fort Calgary and the Deane House.

Winnipeg unveils $430M capital budget

The City of Winnipeg unveiled its preliminary $430-million capital budget on Monday with funding for several new projects, including upgrades at Assiniboine Park. The document was tabled by the executive policy committee, also known as the mayor's cabinet. It includes:

* $20 million for hiking, biking and other non-vehicle trails, bringing the city's total active transportation investment to $22.2 million in 2010.

* $54.7 million over the next two years for a network of roads in the developing Waverley West neighbourhood.

* $8 million for Assiniboine Park redevelopment.