Feet First’s look at pedestrian news for the week of August 31, 2012.
WEEKLY WALK AROUND THE NEWS
Posted by Kerry Dirk
August 31, 2012
Local
The Washington State Department of Transportation and the Cascade Bicycle club need your help to conduct the fifth annual bicycle and pedestrian survey on September 25, 26, and 27.
By determining the number of pedestrians and cyclists who use trails and bike lanes, the WSDOT is better able to determine where additional walk-friendly areas are needed. Surveys have shown previous success in other areas; for example, a 2008 trail count in San Jose supported efforts to secure $1,377,000 in grant funding for the development of additional trails. An ongoing national effort to measure the usage and demand of trails, bike lands, and sidewalks, is also in place. Read more about the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project here.
The kick-off event for I Bike SEA is next Thursday, September 6. This pilot project is recruiting N. Seattle residents who work downtown and who have a range of familiarity with bike commuting. For two weeks, you can participate in after-hours socials and morning meet-ups to learn about basic bike repair and safety, in addition to other activities.
The 2012 Vision 2040 Award, which rewards projects that support a sustainable future, was given to the Suquamish Tribe, Suquamish Elementary School, Suquamish Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and Kitsap County. This award, given by the Puget Sound Regional Council, recognizes the Suquamish Safe Route to School project. This project resulted in the construction of 5,600 feet of sidewalk along 14 blocks near Suquamish Elementary. Read more about the project here.
Stage 3 of the Mercer Corridor Project has begun, now that Mercer Street is open to two-way traffic. Click here for detour information, which includes routes for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Only a few more signatures are needed for the Save our Sandbox Petition. Paulo Nunes Ueno, a father of two who built a 8-by-4-foot wooden sandbox outside of his Seattle home, was asked to move it or pay a $500/day fine. Read more about the debate here.
National
The Fourth Safe Routes to School National Conference will take place August 13-15, 2013 in Sacramento, CA. To learn more about this conference, read about the event here or visit the conference website.
A recent study found that a surprising factor plays a role in whether residents choose to bike to work: the presence of office showers and changing facilities. This study shows that more than bike lanes are needed for people to choose bike commuting and should be noted by employers and developers who want to encourage employees to bike to work.
A Detroit resident and member of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance is using Google maps to make a map of bike friendly routes throughout the city. Read more about this project here or watch the heartfelt video.
International
A Walking Festival on the west coast of Wales? Where do I sign up? The Barmouth Walking Festival takes place in September every year to encourage visitors to explore the beauty of the area. With 30 walks for all abilities, walkers can choose the degree of difficulty and length.
A new study argues that one way to measure the middle class is by the number of passenger cars in circulation. While the current number of passenger vehicles per 1,000 people is 900 in the United States, it’s only 12 in India. At the same time, the number of vehicles in the world is expected to grow 375% by 2050, raising important concerns about what these added cars might do to cities already highly congested.