Here’s a roundup of the latest pedestrian news, brought to you by Feet First Philly. Have a great weekend!
AARP’s Livable Communities initiative aims to create “great places for all ages.” In this article on their website, Sarah Clark Stuart of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is praised for her work on bike and pedestrian trail accessibility, or what AARP calls “Safe Routes to Everywhere for Everyone.”
Public art and other improvements will be coming to two University City corridors with the hope of activating the spaces and making them more pedestrian friendly. The leaders of the two separate projects, which include the 37th St. Walkway and Market Street between 34th and 38th, hope their efforts will contribute to extending the activity of Market Street farther west.
A group of New Urbanists put forth a petition at their annual convention last week to modify the national guidelines that are used to classify roads. They wish to incorporate additional classifications, which they claim would make roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists by allowing walkable streets where appropriate.
Could a “smart” street sign improve pedestrian wayfinding? The LED-powered Points sign can display destinations, weather, and even tweets. But don’t expect them to pop up everywhere just yet; they require extensive weatherproofing, and the cost for renting them “will start in the low five digits.”
Want a crash course in creating walkable communities? See this Urban Planning 101 video for a quick but informative lesson.
Finally, it may only be June, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the next school year! Mark your calendars for October 9th, which is Walk to School Day. Register a walking event online at walkbiketoschool.org.
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