Community Success Stories

Community Success Story 1: Community Involvement During The Planning Process

Norfolk, Virginia

In the Five Points area of Norfolk, Virginia, the Civic League of Presidents (a community advocacy group) formed a partnership to improve a busy street as part of the city's "Commercial Corridors Program." A high school, middle school, elementary school, and community center are located along this corridor. The partnership undertook a planning study to look at the design of the street and revitalize the area for commercial development.

Rather than impose a plan on the residents, the group conducted in-depth community meetings and surveys to find out what the residents wanted their community to look like. In order to develop an identity for the area, more than 10 community meetings and focus groups were conducted throughout the process, including a "pancake dinner" to draw participants. Each meeting routinely drew between 40 and 50 residents.

Residents identified top priorities for the project. The community voted a "pilot star" to be the recurring community symbol for bus shelters, light poles, etc. Residents were most concerned about having a safe outdoor space to exercise and teach their children to ride bikes, a continuous and accessible sidewalk system, and improved lighting. In response to these concerns, Norfolk is in the process of developing a local trail system that loops around the high school and community center, providing a safe and useful space for jogging, biking, and other recreation.

For more information, contact Kevin Kluzak at 757-664-4698 or kevin.kluzak@norfolk.gov.

Community Success Story 2: Networking and Building Partnerships

Portland, Oregon

At the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in Portland, Oregon, a forward-thinking manager brought together a diverse coalition of community groups to form a Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership. Included in the partnership are members representing school boards, neighborhood associations, businesses, nonprofits, advocacy groups, insurance providers, enforcement agencies, and bike and pedestrian advocacy groups.

The coalition implements a wide variety of programs, such as an interactive 30-minute sidewalk pedestrian presentation. Another innovative program is the crosswalk enforcement action program, where ODOT partners with law enforcement officers to monitor intersections, enforce driver yielding, and provide informational pamphlets to drivers and pedestrians.

All of the partner organizations play an active role in improving pedestrian safety. For example, various senior centers work closely with representatives from ODOT to address problem areas and to develop localized pedestrian maps for use by members and residents. The maps show points of interest such as transit stops, benches, water fountains, curb cuts, etc., and designate a prioritized route to frequent destinations. Suggestions for revision are solicited from residents, a bilingual explanation of signals is included, and the maps are distributed at the senior center and to local Meals on Wheels partners.

For more information, contact Sharon White at 503-823-7100 or sharon.white@pdxtrans.org.

Community Success Story 3: Agencies Work with Community Members to Create Action Plan

Charleston, South Carolina

In 2003, in response to community pressure to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG)—the region's MPO—submitted a successful proposal for funding to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living by Design Program. The $200,000 grant funded the creation of a regional bicycle and pedestrian action plan as well as a partnership to promote health and active living.

The partnership included a bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the Medical University of South Carolina, and several healthcare organizations. The action plan contained three main goals: 1) to implement a Safe Routes to School program, 2) to implement "complete streets" policies to make roads accessible for all users, and 3) to begin community intervention programs to improve bicycling and walking conditions. These goals were accomplished through an organized framework that outlined specific actions and performance measures for each of these goals.

The community was involved during the planning process. During the creation of the long-range transportation plan, the BCDCOG distributed a survey asking local residents how much they would spend on different transportation infrastructure elements if given just $100. On average, respondents allocated $24 for pedestrian and bicycle improvements, in contrast to the existing allocation of $0.05 for every $100 spent currently. The agency took steps towards narrowing this discrepancy by allocating $30 million for pedestrian and bicycle improvements over the next 21 years.

For more information, visit the BCDCOG Web site at http://www.bcdcog.com/.

Community Success Story 4: Community Action and Fundraising

Portland, Oregon

A determined community member in Portland, Oregon, took the lead to support pedestrian safety after a local resident was killed crossing a street at night in the rain. As the new co-chair of the transportation committee for her all-volunteer neighborhood association, she had the idea to create bright fluorescent yellow umbrellas marked with pedestrian crossing symbols and transparent sections to look through. With this innovative design, pedestrians could stay dry in the rainy climate and act as their own moving pedestrian crossing sign at the same time.

She contacted the owner of a local umbrella company who was eager to work with her and agreed to put the new product in their catalog. To get funding for the project, she submitted grants to two main sources: the City's Office of Neighborhood Involvement, and a local grant program set up to offset the inconvenience caused by a nearby waste transfer station.

In addition, she contacted the city council with specific requests: the installation of painted crosswalks at every intersection in the neighborhood, an in-street pedestrian crossing sign, and traffic calming. The Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) granted the requests. The City also conducted active crosswalk enforcement to deter crosswalk violations.

PDOT continues to work with community members and neighborhood organizations to hold safety fairs, where the umbrellas are sold at a reduced cost. PDOT also purchased umbrellas to distribute to older pedestrians at senior centers and food distribution centers.

For more information, visit http://portlandtransport.com/archives/2007/02/proactive_pedes.html.

Community Success Story 5: Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Burlington, Vermont

The Burlington Department of Public Works is one partner in a long-term effort to institutionalize pedestrian safety in Burlington's community. In 2006, they launched an annual pedestrian safety campaign, based on materials in the Federal Highway Administration's Pedestrian Safety Campaign Planner (http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/local_program/pedcampaign/index.htm). The campaign included engineering, education, and enforcement components.

For the engineering component, the town worked to:

• Develop a multi-modal transportation improvement plan.
• Plan, develop, and construct an inter-modal transit facility in downtown Burlington to improve pedestrian access to transit.
• Improve circulation and access around the waterfront for all modes, with particular emphasis on enhancing the safety and convenience of pedestrian travel.
• Facilitate the development of pedestrian improvements in key locations.

On the enforcement side, the Department worked with the mayor and police department to distribute educational materials to violators, with specific information targeted at motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. Extra enforcement in the downtown area focused on bicycle- and pedestrian-related violations.

For the education component, public service announcements were broadcast over radio and television and displayed on safety slides at the downtown cinema. The Department of Public Works collaborated with the mayor, police department, and local advocacy organizations to develop press releases and hold press conferences highlighting safety initiatives, using the media to spread the message. Additionally, safety coupons were designed and distributed for discounts on reflective clothing and other safety products. For more information, visit: http://www.dpw.ci.burlington.vt.us/transportation/bikewalk/safety/.

Community Success Story 6: Planning and Engineering Solutions for Pedestrian Safety

Cambridge, Massachusetts

In 2000, Cambridge unveiled its pedestrian plan, an effort toward removing the city from the list of metropolitan areas not meeting the federal Clean Air Act requirements. Recognizing that the automobile is the greatest single source of air, water, and land pollution and that the majority of trips in Cambridge are short trips most easily replaced by walking, the City undertook a plan to improve the walking environment. In addition to many innovative education campaigns, the City performed roadway redesign, sidewalk improvements and repairs, signal improvements, traffic calming projects, and installed crosswalks, lighting, and street furniture in priority spots across town.

Additionally, Cambridge developed a questionnaire to elicit residents' opinions of traffic-calming projects after their completion. Responses were used to improve future projects. Sidewalk maintenance has improved in the city, largely due to greater enforcement of local ordinances. The City requires property owners, for instance, to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice and to trim vegetation; such early prevention reduces repair costs in the long run.

For more information, visit http://www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/cdd/et/ped/index.html.

Community Success Story 7: Safe Route to School Walking School Bus Program

Sacramento, California

At Natomas Park Elementary School in Sacramento, California, parents organize the "walking school bus," which includes five routes based on where children live, and a schedule for each stop. In order to participate, parents register their children ahead of time.

Walk leaders include parents and employees from a local business. Each volunteer must have a background check prior to participation. Training for volunteers is provided by the parent leader and includes first aid, CPR, and pedestrian safety. While walking, volunteers wear safety vests and carry first aid kits.

To recognize the walkers' achievements, parent volunteers track the total number of miles walked during the school year and announce it at a year-end assembly.

About 50 children participate, and many more children are now seen walking to school. Organizers have recently expanded the activity to include remote sites where parents can drop off their children, and adult volunteers walk with the children the rest of the way to school.

Walking school buses are one of many ways in which parents and community members can participate in local Safe Routes to School Programs (SRTS). Most programs involve a variety of activities, including engineering improvements, education, enforcement, and encouragement. For other examples and models of SRTS activities, visit the National Center for Safe Routes to School Online Guide at http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/case_studies/index.cfm.

Community Success Story 8: Pedestrian Safety Education

San Diego County, California

Developers of a child pedestrian safety training program in San Diego County targeted a bilingual, low-income school where the majority of the children walked to school. Studies have shown that first-generation low income school children are at a much higher risk of pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

The presentations were done bilingually, using still images and video footage from their own neighborhood to make the lessons more relevant and concrete. Students were asked to identify the unsafe behaviors depicted and to suggest safer alternatives. For example, they were shown an image (at right) of children in dark clothing walking across an intersection where a car had already begun to turn into and were asked questions such as: were the children very visible to the car, and should the children have walked into the street?

Other topics covered included stopping distances of vehicles in the rain, at different speeds and for large trucks; mid-block crossings; facing traffic while walking; running; turning vehicles and more. In a survey conducted two weeks later, it was found that the children were largely able to retain the information presented earlier. However, many students responded that they felt their parents, the Safety Patrol, or their siblings were responsible for their safety, and also that "cars will always stop for kids." Thus, it was determined that there was a greater need to emphasize to the children that they were the ones responsible for their own safety in future training materials.

For more information, contact Sheila Sarker at shsarkar@ucsd.edu.

Community Success Story 9: Enforcement Component of the Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project

Oakland, California

During the late 1990s, Oakland had the second highest rate of pedestrian fatalities among California cities. The Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project was formed to prevent pedestrian deaths and injuries. Along with several education initiatives, the City committed to greater enforcement efforts. Community members and city staff worked side by side with the police department to send the message that pedestrians have the right-of-way at intersections. Television coverage of the efforts helped spread this message to a larger audience. Today, aggressive pedestrian right-of-way enforcement occurs at a minimum of 20 locations annually, with an average of 30 citations issued per location to motorists violating the right-of-way of a pedestrian.

For more information, visit http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/opsp.html.

Community Success Story 10: Get Active Orlando Encouragement Program

Orlando, Florida

The Get Active Orlando program—funded by Active Living By Design—aims to encourage and facilitate walking and biking in the downtown area. The program's vision is to establish downtown Orlando and its adjacent neighborhoods as an "Active Living District," with residents, employees, and visitors routinely making active choices in an environment that encourages safe physical activity. The program is supported by a broad coalition of local agencies, health services, and advocacy groups which maintains a strong partnership with local neighborhood association leaders, sending a representative to every association meeting. Through this personal contact and regular newsletters of current events, residents voice concerns and have questions answered.

Funding efforts have led to $25,000 of gas tax revenue reserved for installing bikeways around the city, and a state grant with matching local funds provides for trails, sidewalk improvements, bike parking, urban gardens, senior walking groups, and more. Community programs such as hip hop and golf classes have also been implemented in response to resident interest. Regular communication between all the partners maintains the strong, long-term partnership that drives the initiatives.

The Get Active Orlando partnership plans to develop and implement a campaign that focuses on the importance of daily active living and is developing a "Point of Choice" campaign that educates people on their options for active traveling. For more information, visit http://www.activeliving.org/node/291.