City Walkability's Role in Public Safety: Principles for Safer Urban Environments
Hey there, buddy! You're here because you're as passionate about pedestrian safety as we are. Let's hang out with Jim Walker from WALK21, the international charity advocating for the right to walk, and Mário Alves from the International Federation of Pedestrians, the global organization fighting for safe and walkable cities. These guys are our go-to gurus on all things related to pedestrian safety.
We decided to quiz them about pedestrian safety, road traffic accidents, and the importance of creating walkable cities. Let's dive right in!
Why the Safety of Pedestrians Matters
Here's the hard truth: hundreds of thousands of pedestrians are dying each year due to road traffic accidents. The design of infrastructure is crucial to protecting more vulnerable road users, like us pedestrians. Some of the most vital components of safe infrastructure, as per the World Health Organization, include sidewalks, cycling lanes, and safe crossing points.
Jim boldly states, "Cities were made for people to walk, live, exchange ideas, and goods. But if we can't walk to access public transportation, medical facilities, or retail experiences, then the system fails." He's right, ain't he? Walkability shows a city's sustainability, and we, as a social species, crave social interactions during our strolls.
Obstacles to Pedestrian Safety
Battling for pedestrian safety isn't as straightforward as it may seem. Here are the three most common challenges in implementing safe infrastructure for all:
Fear
Cars, the driven beasts, are enough to make even the bravest of us shake in fear. With their dashing speed, they pose a severe threat to pedestrian safety. Fun fact: cities were once designed for foot traffic but now, sadly, it seems like they were designed for cars.
Noise and Pollution
We all know the roaring sounds of cars and the thick coating of smog they leave in the air. These factors make urban areas an unbearable place to stroll. Consequently, the more unwalkable a city becomes, the more people start to view cars as their prime mode of transportation, feeding the problem they initially set out to solve.
A Crisis Requires Action
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought this issue to the forefront. With the restrictions on travel, stranded pedestrians have realized the importance of having essential services close at hand. This real-life experiment has further reinforced the critical value of pedestrian and cyclist-friendly cities.
How to Build Pedestrian-Friendly Cities
Creating a city that pedestrians can navigate safely and comfortably is no easy feat. We've compiled some helpful tips for designing walkable cities:
The Walking Experience Matters
Prioritize the quality of the walking experience. Simply providing space to walk isn't enough—you need to protect pedestrians from harm. This necessitates careful consideration of factors such as vehicular speed, noise pollution, air pollution, drainage, climate, and more. When people stop venturing outdoors, it's a clear sign that the urban design isn't working, and it's time to take proactive action.
Shared Responsibility
It takes a village to ensure the safety and accessibility of pedestrians. Various groups, including city authorities, planners, gardeners, police, and engineers, need to work together to enhance the pedestrian experience.
Inclusion is Key
Infrastructure should cater to everyone, regardless of ability. Many people, including children and the elderly, walk more due to financial constraints. It's essential to design public spaces that cater to everyone's needs, fostering a more inclusive environment.
Don't Focus on the Familiar
Don't shy away from trying innovative strategies for building pedestrian-friendly cities. Take inspiration from successful examples, such as Hong Kong, which prioritized the safety of elderly pedestrians and implemented Vision Zero strategies to achieve zero pedestrian fatalities in 2019.
So there you have it, straight from the experts themselves! Remember, we transform our cities, one stroll at a time. Keep walking, keep talking, and keep pushing for safer, more walkable cities.
[references][1] International Federation of Pedestrians (IFP), "Vision Zero," https://www.pedestrians.org/visionzero/ (accessed November 18, 2022).[2] National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), "Urban Street Design Guide," https://nacto.org/docs/usdg/urban-street-design-guide-1-3-06-0.pdf (accessed November 18, 2022).[3] World Health Organization, "Health & Environment—Air quality and health," https://www.who.int/airpollution/ambient/health-effects/en/ (accessed November 18, 2022).[4] Harvard Chan School, "Air Pollution and the COVID-19 Mortality Spike in Northern Italy," https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ehrc/reports/air-pollution-covid-mortality-spike-italy.html (accessed November 18, 2022).[5] WALK21, "The Power of the Pedestrian," https://www.walk21.com/about-walk21/ (accessed November 18, 2022).[6] International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, "Sustainable urban transport: opportunities and challenges for mobility management in European cities," https://doi.org/10.1080/15452581.2012.10743324 (accessed November 18, 2022).[7] World Resources Institute, "No Car Day: Car-Free Cities for Climate Action," https://www.wri.org/outline/no-car-day-car-free-cities-climate-action (accessed November 18, 2022).[8] Streetsblog USA, "Helsinki on a Path to Becoming the World's Most Car-Free City," https://usa.streetsblog.org/2021/07/19/helsinki-on-a-path-to-becoming-the-worlds-most-car-free-city/ (accessed November 18, 2022).[9] Walkable Cities Foundation, "Our Vision: A World Where Every Community is a Walkable Community," https://www.walkablecitiesfoundation.org/mission (accessed November 18, 2022).[10] Next City, "How Pontevedra Became Europe’s Most Walkable City," https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/how-pontevedra-became-europe-s-most-walkable-city (accessed November 18, 2022).[11] Early Warning Systems, "Securing Health, Preventing Disasters: The First Warning," https://earlywarningsystems.org/ (accessed November 18, 2022).[12] United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, "How to Strengthen Early Warning Systems in the Face of Disaster," https://www.unisdr.org/knowledge/publications/show/how-to-strengthen-early-warning-systems-in-the-face-of-disaster (accessed November 18, 2022).[13] Academy of Urbanism, "Our Approach: Five Colours of the Urban Environment," https://www.academyofurbanism.org.uk/five-colours-of-the-urban-environment/ (accessed November 18, 2022).
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