• Tuesday, September 14 through Thursday, September 16, 5-7 PM or 4- 6 or 7PM
• Saturday, September 18 through Sunday, September 19, Noon- 2 PM

This survey and count is an effort to overcome one of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field; the lack of documentation on usage and demand. This data is needed to increase investment in these fields. This nationwide effort will provide data for use by planners, governments, and bicycle and pedestrian professionals.

For more information about how to volunteer and help with this effort, go to the National Project Website.

Typical volunteer activities will include:

* A brief Volunteer Training

* A 2-3 hour traffic count and half hour of survey distribution

In Portland, you can volunteer by contacting April Bertelsen, Pedestrian Coordinator, 503-823-6177, april.bertelsen@portlandoregon.gov.

Photo: theurbn.com

1. Looking at the city – Urban Sketchers creates art from public transit

2. The Backwards City: New York City CLOSES Roads to Reduce Traffic

3. Planning for the Future – What Makes a Walkable city

Other magnificent posts during the week were (in order):

• Planting a tree? Follow these steps
• Freedom Cycles – bike sharing in Edmonton

Photo: theurbn.com

Thanks to recently discovering The Urban Times after @GreenGrowthCC got a follow from @theurbantimes I stumbled upon a great article about what constitutes a walkable city.

Why is this a concern for you and me? Because a pedestrian-friendly city is the city of the future.

We have already discussed how walkability can increase real estate values, and even though we still see policies for car/automobile-centric planning, we are seeing the rise of the walkable, urban environment more predominantly.

As our world moves towards sustainability we are beginning to understand that the most sustainable form of transportation is simply using our own two feet.

These are the simplified points of what make a walkable city borrowed from The Washington Post:

• Street blocks are not too big and intersection are not too far apart.
• Streets must be proportioned with ample width for sidewalks, plants, and medians.
• Careful attention to desirable exposure to sky, sunlight, air movement, and other views.
• Planning for good lighting, signage, convenient street furniture, and a beautiful ecological landscape (with trees and vegetation).
• Regular patrolling by public safety or police to ensure a sense of safety.
• Well-marked crosswalks and synchronized traffic-control signals to make walking easy during the day or night.
• Buildings facing the street have lots of windows, entrance doorways, and storefronts (adds to exposure for merchandise being sold, safer/livelier environment, and more delightful feel).

Now when you are walking through your suburban neighborhood or your nearest urban center, check for these signs and see if your community is becoming more friendly to pedestrians, or more friendly to gas-guzzling automobiles.

[Source: The Urban Times]

Street Closed for Cars, Open for People! Photo: Bill Ward

This past Sunday was the first of nine Sunday Streets in the City of San Francisco. The northbound lanes of the Embarcadero were opened for people, rather than cars, from 10am to 3pm. Thousands of folks turned out to walk, bike and just hang along the over 2 miles of road from Fisherman’s Warf down to Mission Bay. Mother Nature felt obliged to cooperate as well with clear skies and highs in the mid to upper 60s it was a great for Sunday for everyone in the Bay Area.

A course for young riders to learn the ropes. Photo: Bill Ward

Sunday Streets on The Embarcadero. Photo: Sirgious (flickr)

Climbing Wall. Photo: Matthew Roth

The next Sunday Streets is planned for April 11th along the Great Highway south of Golden Gate Park.

Complete Streets from Shoreline, WA

Complete Streets are now a Federal Department of Transportation policy. Both large and small agencies must “integrate non-motorized modes of future projects,” according to the National Complete Streets Coalition.

What does this mean for us? More green jobs, reducing energy costs, lower air pollution, and most importantly safer streets and neighborhoods. The Feds are beginning to look out for the common man, whether he be a simple pedestrian or a bicycle rider.

For more on this from <Ray Lahood’s Blog Post>.
For more on this from <City Parks Blog “Complete Streets Now Federal DOT Policy” Article>.

If you don’t know what Complete Streets are. It’s in our Green Growth Terms list.

Welcome to Vancouver by www.northwestliving.net

A mode of transportation that us Americans have been working so hard to perfect with our ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and various transportation grants (like the recent TIGER grants from LaHood), but have yet to best our fellow Europeans.

And now, it seems that not-as-friendly-as-we-thought neighbor Canada has beat us to the punch.

With over 250,000 new visitors in Vancouver (a city even bigger than Seattle) and no real freeways, you would think our Olympic tourist brethren would have no way to move about such a chaotic state (or province if you want to be precise). WRONG.

Use Canada Line and you can NOT go wrong. Canada’s tribute to rapid transit; this is your way IN. If you have a car, you lose in those neck of the woods.

In Vancouver, you can make your way around by leaving your car behind (‘OUTRAGEOUS’ you might think), and taking rapid transit into this pedestrian friendly city.

Yes, I did say leave your car behind. Try that one on for size.

Now after this brief message…a story (WITH VIDEO!!) from NBC Evening Magazine <Getting to the Olympics Might be Easier Than You Think>

I am not lying to you. On average, houses with above-average Walk Scores commanded $30,000 more in value. And while the recession hit hard on all real estate, typically the most walkable held up and, in a few cases, increased.*

What does this suggest? If we get in gear as citizens or as a nation, more pedestrian-friendly, bike-friendly, walkable, and sustainable cities will take hold and help us prosper. Begin to build infrastructure to support other modes of transportation and just maybe we’ll see a peak for our beloved Nation –oh and the Earth will be happy too.

Excerpt from Congress for the New Urbanism <here>
Full article from The New York Times <here>

*statistics from Impresa and Zillow

They are simply a marking to guide bicyclists to the best place to ride and help motorists expect to see and share the lane with bicyclists.

EXAMPLE:

Sharrows in Richmond BC

For more information on sharrows. (Including figures and guidance on use)

For motorists:
1) Flashing Yellow/Solid Yellow – advises drivers to slow down and prepare to stop.
2) Solid Red – alerts drivers to STOP. (Also begins a pedestrian “Walk” indication)
3) Flashing Red – indicates motorists must stop, and proceed when safe after coming to a full stop (like a stop sign).

For pedestrians:
1) Blank Signal – alerts pedestrians of oncoming traffic. Pedestrians may follow signs posted on how to cross safely.
2) “Walk”/Green – shows the pedestrian he/she may safely cross the street.
3) “Don’t Walk”/Flashing Green - counts down the time left to cross.

EXAMPLE:

Here is an example from the Portland, Oregon area of a HAWK signal.

Video coming soon…

A great diagram from DC on HAWK Signals.