Feet First Philly partnered with Temple University’s Office of Sustainability for a third year to offer a walk audit certification course to students. This semester’s audit used Feet First Philly’s quantitative walk audit which focuses on a specific intersection of concern. Feet First Philly and Temple teamed up with Tookany/Tacony Watershed Partnership(TTF) to study a trail crossing on the busy Rising Sun Ave. The paved 3.2 mile trail is a key resource that includes 10 gateways that connect the trail to adjacent communities.

Students conduct a walk audit near a busy intersection along Rising Sun Avenue in North Philadelphia.

The intersection walk audit took a deep dive into the measurements of several evaluation themes: sidewalks and street crossings; counting vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians; feelings of comfort and safety; and more. In addition to the intersection study, the students were asked to collect data prior to the walk audit including history, demographics, planning initiatives, and institutional actors in order to establish a baseline understanding of the study area. Students will gather their data and present their findings to TTF including the trail crossing’s strengths and weaknesses as well as any proposed solutions. Stay tuned for the students’ walk audit observations, issues, and scores in our next newsletter.