II. Overview of the Pedestrian Safety Roadshow
Objectives
The purpose of the Pedestrian Safety Road Show (PSRS) is to:
- Generate concern about the pedestrian safety and walkability problem
- Channel that concern into a commitment to "do something about it"
- Structure that commitment into a realistic plan of action.
The PSRS is much more than just "safety", it impacts our health, the environment, it's about "Our Quality of Life". It is assumed that at least one person in the community believes that pedestrian safety or walkability is enough of a problem to have requested the Road Show. If there is just one voice speaking out for pedestrians, the Road Show will serve as a catalyst for enlisting others in support of the cause. In other cities, there may already be more widespread recognition of the problems facing pedestrians. For these communities, the Road Show can help to transform this awareness of the problem into a commitment to solving it.
Target Audience
The Pedestrian Safety Road Show is designed for small to medium-sized cities, although it is available for larger cities as well. The recommended class size is 25 participants if you are new to this type of facilitation; as your experience increases you can vary the class size to a number that you are comfortable with. An upper limit of 40 participants is recommended for this type of program. These participants should represent a cross-section of the community, including government agencies, local businesses, non-profit organizations, etc. Section V of this Guide contains a more complete listing of the types of individuals that should be encouraged to attend. Remember, if you want a meeting size of 25, you may need to invite about 30-35 people as some invitees will not be able to attend.
The size limitation is important. The Road Show includes several group activities that would take too much time and not be as effective with a large group. More importantly, it is too easy for an individual to avoid participating when the group size becomes too large. Since this seminar is designed to get everyone attending mobilized and committed, you don't want anyone just sitting on his hands.
Agenda and Activities
The four-hour session is jam-packed. The main activities are presented in the following table:
Topic |
Activity |
| Introduction
Local Welcome Seminar Objectives Participant Introductions Overview of Local Programs |
Group
Introduction Exercise Each participant introduces self to group and shares a brief story or a personal experience they have had when they would have liked to walk someplace and couldn't. As an alternative, participants could share what they think are the biggest pedestrian concerns. These examples will be added to a flip chart and referred to later. Representatives of local law enforcement, engineering, education and health agencies are asked to give very brief overviews of what their agencies are doing with regard to pedestrian safety. |
| What
is the Pedestrian Problem? Review of safety data and facility problems Presentation of local crash data and facility problems |
Who
Dies as A Pedestrian Exercise Case studies representing the types of pedestrian fatalities that take place in a single day in the U.S. are presented by participants who are assigned the role of the pedestrian involved. Group Discussion What could have been done to prevent the crashes described in the case studies. Slide Presentation |
| Vision
of a Walkable Community Benefits of Walkability Elements of Walkability Facility Improvements for Walkability Other Enhancements to Promote Walkability |
Discussion
on Elements of Walkability What participants believe to be essential elements of a walkable community Slide Presentation on Facility Improvements |
| Local
Problem Identification Barriers to Walkability Local Priorities |
Community
Issues Exercise Small group activity to identify priority concerns (referring to list from Introductions) Large group discussion on what it would take to attack the top priorities |
| Organizing
for Success
Structure of Pedestrian Advisory Group Composition of Group Is Local Community Ready? |
Group
Discussion Focus on achieving commitment to organize and develop an Action Plan |
| Where
Do You Go From Here? Six Steps to Achieving Pedestrian Safety Goals Getting More People Involved |
Let's
Get Organized Exercise (optional) Setting agenda for next meeting Generating action items |
| Help
is Available Outside Organizations Other Resources |
|
| Summary and Wrap-Up |
Outcomes
The Pedestrian Safety Road Show is intended to accomplish several things.
- Participants will have concrete information about the elements that make a community safe and accessible to pedestrians.
- Participants will make a commitment to further examine ways to make their community more walkable.
- Participants will begin to formulate a plan of action for addressing pedestrian issues in their community. (This includes setting a date for the next meeting, having someone take the responsibility to stage the meeting and invite other persons who are essential for this activity, typing up minutes and other logistical issues.)
The Pedestrian Safety Road Show will be the starting place for an organized effort to identify and respond to the needs of pedestrians. It presents the benefits of a community pedestrian program and provides guidance on how to get started.