Feet First’s look at pedestrian news for the week of December 21, 2012.
WEEKLY WALK AROUND THE NEWS
Posted by Kerry Dirk
December 21, 2012
Local
The Airport Way South Viaduct will celebrate its grand re-opening today, December 21, at 3:30 pm. Please join the Mayor, City Staff, and the rest of the community at the South approach to the viaduct near Airport Way S and S Lucile Street.
Transportation for Washington has released its action plan, Opportunity for All: A Transportation Action Plan for Washington. The plan includes 12 solutions to expand transportation choices for residents, as well as overall suggestions to build healthier communities.
The sidewalk on Alaska Way south of the Ferry Terminal is now closed through January 2013. Pedestrians should use the shared-use path under the Alaska Way Viaduct. Make sure to check the WDOT often for updates on road and sidewalk closures.
A man was struck by a South Transit Link train on Martin Luther King, Jr. Way South last Saturday.
National
One biker in New York City decided to create a holiday greeting card by using an app that kept track of his route. The actual route, which can be seen in the video, includes lines that are a bit less straight due to spotty GPS reception throughout the city.
A recent study at Portland State University found that pedestrians, bicyclists, and TriMet riders spend more money than drivers at local businesses. The study looked particularly at food related businesses, and researchers surveyed customers at 89 Portland area businesses.
New York’s public transit has the most diverse riders out of the ten largest metro areas in the nation. However, white workers overall are less likely to take public transportation to the office than other races in America.
Atlantic Cities has rounded up the biggest transportation successes of 2012, which include real-time transit information for riders and big transit wins at the polls.
A group of graduate students at Indiana University recently made presentations to Bloomington officials with recommendations for making the city more pedestrian-friendly. Their suggestions include ticketing jaywalkers and installing enforcement cameras at pedestrian-popular intersections.
International
A Swiss design label has created high-visibility clothing from the material often worn by construction workers. Their goal is to increase street visibility of pedestrians and bicyclists.
Interested in commuting by roller coaster? The Tokyo University’s Institute of Industrial Science recently created Eco-Ride, a train that works exactly like a theme park roller coaster.
CiclovÃas, or big-city events that temporarily remove cars from busy streets, are becoming increasing popular around the world. Originating in Columbia 35 years ago, ciclovÃas now happen weekly in Bogotá and Lima.