WEEKLY WALK AROUND THE NEWS

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Posted by Zoe Harris and Drew DeVitis

 

Local

 

Seattle’s University District Neighborhood Greenway takes shape. Located on 12th Ave NE, the neighborhood greenway will connect from the Burke-Gilman Trail to Ravenna Boulevard.

 

Frustration in Seattle over City Hall condoning blocked sidewalks in front of construction sites.

 

New noises for crosswalks in Seattle are causing some push back. The sound, described by traffic engineers as a “rapid ticking” noise, is meant to help people cross the street safely. It will soon replace the chirping and “cuckoo” noises, which can be found at nearly 100 of the city’s 1,500 intersections,

 

SDOT, in partnership with King County Metro, has proposed a new design for Third Avenue downtown between University Street and Stewart Street.

 

National

 

Data shows that while tourism in Portland has boomed, car rentals have not.

 

In an effort slow down drivers, Philadelphia has installed sensors in the roadway that determine the speed of vehicles; if a vehicle passes the sensor going above the speed limit, the light turns red.

 

The newly completed Indianapolis Cultural Trail, an on-street network of pedestrian and bicycle paths linking residential, commercial, and cultural districts throughout central Indianapolis, is spurring economic growth along its eight-mile length.

 

Los Angeles is on the verge of transforming four miles of Figueroa Street, an iconic car corridor, into the city’s first “complete street,” serving cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians. 

 

A study found that the implementation of the Safe Routes to School Program program in New York City has contributed to a marked reduction in pedestrian injury in school-aged children.

 

International

 

Air quality concerns prompted Paris and other cities in France to make public transportation free over the weekend. Paris limited car travel, allowing odd numbers to drive one day and even numbers the next until the problem subsides. 

 

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most dangerous place in the world to travel by foot, where pedestrian fatality rates are nearly double the world average. In this region, Uganda is leading the way to put pedestrian and cyclist safety first in an effort to improve its roads.

 

If you come across any interesting pedestrian news or stories, please send a link to zoe@feetfirst.org.

 

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