Pedestrian Safety Roadshow: Pedestrian Forum

Highlights of the 10th Pro-Bike/Pro-Walk 1998 Conference : A record number of participants (500+) attended the Conference, which took place September 8-11 in Santa Barbara, California. The Conference sponsored 53 workshops and seminars, in addition to plenary sessions, special meetings and post-conference training on various pedestrian and bicyclist-related topics. The bicycle and pedestrian implications of TEA-21 was a topic of great interest.

On Friday afternoon following the Conference, representatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation sponsored an information exchange session on bicycle and pedestrian provisions under TEA-21. The purpose was to obtain input from our customers about what they need to implement the bike/ped/trails provisions of TEA-21. The meeting began with an overview of TEA-21 implementation options issues and was followed by a panel discussion and TEA-21 implementation priorities by State and local coordinators, advocacy groups, and professional associations.

The Annual State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator’s Meeting took place on Tuesday, September 8, at the Pro-Bike/Pro-Walk Conference. At the same time, a first ever meeting of local coordinators took place. Topics discussed were updates on the AASHTO Bike Guide, MUTCD, Millennium Trails Program, NHTSA Programs, and FHWA Programs; implications of TEA-21; legal implications of accommodating non-motorized travel; innovative funding sources; available training; and a report on California’s Bicycle Summit.

moderated by John Fegan (FHWA) and Maria Vegaga (NHTSA). The session focused on the popular Pedestrian Safety Roadshow (PSRS) and included the following presentations:

The presentations and the audience discussion clearly underscored the point that local communities need to identify and solve their own pedestrian problems. The PSRS process is very successful provided communities are committed and willing to take action. Also, individual modules (e.g. Pedestrian Audits) can be used as stand-alone exercises to create awareness for decisionmakers.

Discussion of the PSRS then moved on to the American Public Works Association (APWA) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. A workshop was held that focused on improving pedestrian safety and walkability at the local community using the PSRS as one successful process. The discussion was led by:

An impressive 150+ persons attended the session--a first for pedestrian safety at this conference and clearly demonstrative of the growing interest in the topic.

The presentations looked at the issues from both the macro and micro perspective. The macro approach focused on the nature of the problem, the extent of alcohol and related issues as contributing factors to the problem, the broad distribution of crashes (special circumstances; vehicle-specific; intersection-related; midblock-related and working, playing, and walking in the roadway; our success or lack of success in addressing some of these issues), and examples of innovative treatments used nationally. The micro approach used Las Vegas as a case study. Discussion also focused on TEA-21 and its implications for pedestrians. Some issues discussed included new eligibilities or additions to TEA-21 such as pedestrian projects eligible under the National Highway System, ADA improvements to sidewalks eligible under the Surface Transportation Program, safety and educational activities for pedestrian and bicyclists eligible under the Transportation Enhancements Program; and trails and traffic calming measures explicitly made eligible activities under the Hazard Elimination Program.

The common consensus at both sessions (Pro-Bike/Pro -Walk ’98 and the APWA) is that walking and biking are alternate modes of travel that should be integrated into the planning, design, and operation of all roadways. TEA-21 enhances the ability of communities to invest in projects that can improve the safety and practicality of walking for everyday travel.

The revised MUTCD is getting closer. Two more phases of Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) are scheduled--one in November/December and the last early next year (the NPRM’s are broken into phases because of the size of the MUTCD and the amount of work that goes into revising it). The revised MUTCD will be complete in the year 2000, with published copies ready by 2001. The next meeting of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (the advisory group for the MUTCD) will take place in Arlington, VA, January 7-9, 1999.

The comment period for Part 7 (Traffic Controls for School Areas) closed on September 9, 1998. The next step will be reviewing the comments and developing a final rule. The NPRM for Part 9 (Traffic Controls for Bicycle Facilities) is scheduled to be issued in the next phase of NPRM’s. Tamara Broyhill made presentations on proposed changes to Part 9 at the Pro-Bike/Pro-Walk Conference and at the State and local coordinator’s meetings in Santa Barbara, CA. Comments on NPRM’s can be made via our Rulemaking Homepage at http://www.ohs.fhwa.dot.gov/.

The Regulatory Negotiations Committee on Outdoor Developed Areas, which is responsible for coming up with ADA guidelines to be used in the development of outdoor recreational environment, has been working on trail guidelines. These guidelines may have an impact on how urban and suburban shared use paths (multi-use trails) need to be built and altered. This publication will provide more updates as the committee continues to meet through next spring. Their next meeting will be in Empire, Colorado, October 20-24. The public is welcome. Please call 202-272-5434 for details.

To date, we have completed 8 train-the-trainer sessions and trained over 130 facilitators from State and local governments, FHWA, NHTSA, Governor’s Offices of High-way Safety, universities, LTAP Centers, National Safety Coun-cil, Bicycle Federation of America, and other organizations.

Training will be accelerated in 1999, and you are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to have someone trained or to host a session. Facilitator Training sessions are scheduled for October 13-15 in Utah and November 17-19 in North Carolina. Please contact your FHWA Division Office or Leverson Boodlal at 202-366-8044 for information, or the homepage: http://www.ota.fhwa.dot.gov/walk/.

2. Livable Communities Conference, November 7-8, Seattle, WA, (Contact: 206-296-0355)

3. National Trails Symposium, November 13-17, Tucson, AZ. (Contact: 520-632-1140)

4. Transportation Research Board, January 10-14, Washington, DC (Contact: 202-334-2934)

6. Velocity International Bicycle Planning Conference, April 13-17, 1999 Austria and Slovenia,.

NHI Courses: The Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Accommodation Course (NHI 38061) is recommended to increase awareness of pedestrian/bicycle safety and accommodation. (Contact, Lynn Cadarr (703) 235-0528, or check the NHI web page at http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov ).

A Summary: Bicycle and Pedestrian Provisions of the Federal-Aid Program - provides information on the bicycle and pedestrian provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). This publication (FHWA-PD-98-049) can be obtained from the Report Center by faxing your request to (301)577-0818.

Pedestrian Safety for School Age Children -Provides information and guidance for communities and schools that wish to enhance safety for children as they walk to school. Available from Office of Highway Safety, 202-366-0915.

Zone Guide for Pedestrian Safety - provides a systematic method for targeting pedestrian safety improvements in a cost effective manner. The publication can be obtained by writing to NHTSA, NTS-31, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590.

FHWA is to develop guidance on "various approaches to accommodating bicycle and pedestrian travel." It will be an 18 month study with AASHTO, ITE and other interested organizations. The study shall include recommendations on updating AASHTO highway and street design standards.

$500,000 a year for grants to a "national not-for-profit organization engaged in promoting bicycle and pedestrian safety" to operate a national clearinghouse, develop informational and education programs, and disseminate techniques and strategies for improving bicycle and pedestrian safety.

$500,000 available for development of a national bicycle safety education curriculum.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics to include bicycling and walking in new transportation database.

Editors:
Leverson Boodlal
(Office of Technology Applications, FHWA, HTA-30)

Tamara Broyhill
(Office of Highway Safety, FHWA, HH-10)

Address: USDOT, FHWA, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC 20590