Hey, Philly pedestrians! Sorry if our lack of recent blog posts has got you down. To make up for it, here’s a roundup of news and events that may be of interest to you. (It looks like Halloween festivities are taking over the city in full force this weekend!)
Cities such as Atlanta are reversing the trend of car-centric growth. A recent study found that 50% of the market share of development in the Atlanta region is in walkable urban places (WalkUPs) , and 19% of the total jobs in the metropolitan Atlanta area are located in established WalkUPs.
Although total traffic deaths have decreased in recent years, pedestrian deaths were up by 3% in 2011, and cyclists deaths increased by 8%. A research team at the University of Nebraska says that distracted driving is partially to blame for this increase in fatal collisions.
Level of Service (LOS) is a method of measuring transportation system performance that usually only takes vehicle travel into account. This Streetsblog article suggests surveying pedestrians and assessing accessibility as other ways to evaluate streets.
Notice anything different about the exterior of the Franklin Institute lately? A “shimmer wall” is being installed this week on the Race St. side of the building. The wall consists of aluminum squares that are hinged on one side so that they sparkle when the wind moves them.
A new type of coating called Starpath could be the future for illuminating pedestrian and bicycle trails. The material absorbs sunlight during the day and glows at night, saving money and energy that would ordinarily be used to light up the paths with lamps.
Event: Spirits of the Woodlands Haunted Cemetery Tours
Where: Woodlands Cemetery, 4000 Woodland Avenue
When: Thursday, October 24, 2013 – Saturday, October 26, 2013 (8:00 PM)
Event: The 2013 Flyers Charities Halloween 5K & 1-Mile Walk
Where: Wells Fargo Center vicinity
When: Saturday, October 26th; day-of registration from 8:00 to 8:45 AM
Event: Halloween Hoedown at Penn Treaty Park
Where: Penn Treaty Park, 1341 N. Delaware Avenue
When: Saturday, October 26, 10 AM to 1 PM
Cost: Free
Event: Kids’ Fall Festival at Liberty Lands Park
Where: Liberty Lands Park, 926 N. American Street
When: Sunday, October 27, 2-5 p.m.
Cost: Free
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