Comprehensive study of pedestrian traffic fatalities and severe injuries in New York City:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/nytdocs/docs/458/458.pdf
UPDATE: 25-Aug-2010
This is a pretty thorough analysis of accidents involving death or severe injury. While it focuses much of its energy on pedestrians, it does analyze the rate of overall traffic deaths among all street users and determines that New York City is the safest city in the U.S. as far as traffic deaths are concerned. It adjusts for the surge in daytime population in Manhattan to stress that although the raw number of deaths and injuries is high, the rate per 100,000 population is quite low.
I believe that it alludes to NYC being even safer for pedestrians than the rate of death and severe injury per 100,000 population would imply, because there is actually a much higher rate of walking among the population there, among commuters, residents, and tourists. I've always wanted to see a study that attempts to compare pedestrian safety among U.S. cities by estimating something like miles walked per 100,000 population and using that to determine the actual likelihood of being killed or injured in a collision. My hunch has been that such a study would find that older, more dense cities, where walking is more common, are many times safer to walk in than our newer, lower density cities. It might also be interesting to have a study that factored in death or injury due to crime. If anyone is aware of such a study, please provide a link or other direction.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Pedestrians struck on sidewalk
According to multiple news reports, two teenage girls walking along the sidewalk on the 2800 block of North Keystone Avenue were struck by a drunk driver Tuesday evening. The girls were severely injured and are currently hospitalized. Initial reports indicate the driver, with prior DUI convictions, who fled the scene but was apprehended shortly thereafter, is suspected of being intoxicated. Obviously, it would appear that the driver is completely responsible for this horrific tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the girls and their families and friends.
However, being familiar with this street, I can't help but wonder whether a different street design could have possibly prevented these girls from being victims of this collision. Anyone who has walked this stretch of Keystone Avenue likely remembers that it is not designed to be safe or inviting for pedestrians. Sidewalks are immediately adjacent to the four-lane street, which does not permit parking on either side of the street. Although this is not an extraordinarily wide street (the lanes appear to be 10-11 feet wide), vehicles seem to typically drive in excess of the posted 35 MPH speed limit, probably because there is little to nothing of interest along or adjacent to the street to provide a natural cue to slow down.
What if the sidewalk was not directly adjacent to the street? What if pedestrians were not required to walk within a couple of feet of speeding vehicles, with nothing but a concrete curb of six inches in height or less? What if the sidewalk was separated from the street by a tree lawn? What if a tree would have been in the path of this driver and either stopped or slowed his vehicle before reaching the sidewalk?
I'm not proclaiming that if the street/sidewalk were designed differently, that this tragedy would have been avoided, but it very well might have. Quite frankly, with the widespread application of this street/sidewalk design throughout Marion County, I'm surprised that we don't hear about more pedestrians being struck. Imagine walking two abreast on a 5-foot wide sidewalk. To prevent constant shoulder/elbow bumping, one person needs to be walking just inches from the curb. One misstep, one dizzy spell, one unexpected crack in the sidewalk, could lead to a pedestrian instantly falling into the path of a moving vehicle with little to no time to react. Of course, the infrequency of such collisions could likely have a significant correlation with the fact that very few people use these sidewalks. Walking along sidewalks such as this one are typically only done by those with no other choice: no car and no other path to get where they need to go.
The solution is simple: build all sidewalks with a buffer from moving traffic. Typically, a landscape strip with trees is ideal, not only to provide a physical separation, but because it makes the street corridor more attractive to pedestrians and drivers alike and raises adjacent property values, along with all the environmental benefits. (Regularly used on-street parking can also provide a safety buffer between pedestrians and moving cars.) The Indianapolis-Marion County codes actually support the idea that sidewalks should be located with a buffer from the street, however, the City continues to build sidewalks similar to the one on Keystone Avenue.
The City is gearing up for a complete reconstruction of West 38th Street, between High School Road and I-65. The project will include construction of new sidewalks on both sides of 38th Street, but they will be immediately adjacent to the curb, forcing pedestrians to walk just a matter of inches from cars regularly traveling at 40-45 MPH, often faster. Although most of this corridor currently lack sidewalks, several portions actually include sidewalks that are buffered from the street, all of which will unfortunately be destroyed, regardless of their current condition, so that sidewalks can be rebuilt uniformly located right next to the street.
Why is the City doing this? I wish I knew. Maybe it's a buck or two cheaper to pour the sidewalk concrete right next to the curb because you only have to frame in on one side, rather than two. Although that would seem like a ridiculous reason to build an unsafe, unattractive, uninviting sidewalk, I can't think of any other reason. It's not for lack of available dedicated public right-of-way. A quick check of the General Data Viewer on the City's website shows that there is plenty of space in which to set the sidewalk back from the roadway. (The City's construction plans show that 38th Street is not being widened beyond its current curblines. It is only being reconstructed.)
So, while continually paying lip service to the idea of creating a more sustainable city conducive to alternate transportation, the City will take yet another step backward by destroying useful sidewalks and wasting money building sidewalks that will only be used as a last resort by the poor and downtrodden, furthering the belief that "Hoosiers love their cars" and they just wouldn't have it any other way.
However, being familiar with this street, I can't help but wonder whether a different street design could have possibly prevented these girls from being victims of this collision. Anyone who has walked this stretch of Keystone Avenue likely remembers that it is not designed to be safe or inviting for pedestrians. Sidewalks are immediately adjacent to the four-lane street, which does not permit parking on either side of the street. Although this is not an extraordinarily wide street (the lanes appear to be 10-11 feet wide), vehicles seem to typically drive in excess of the posted 35 MPH speed limit, probably because there is little to nothing of interest along or adjacent to the street to provide a natural cue to slow down.
What if the sidewalk was not directly adjacent to the street? What if pedestrians were not required to walk within a couple of feet of speeding vehicles, with nothing but a concrete curb of six inches in height or less? What if the sidewalk was separated from the street by a tree lawn? What if a tree would have been in the path of this driver and either stopped or slowed his vehicle before reaching the sidewalk?
I'm not proclaiming that if the street/sidewalk were designed differently, that this tragedy would have been avoided, but it very well might have. Quite frankly, with the widespread application of this street/sidewalk design throughout Marion County, I'm surprised that we don't hear about more pedestrians being struck. Imagine walking two abreast on a 5-foot wide sidewalk. To prevent constant shoulder/elbow bumping, one person needs to be walking just inches from the curb. One misstep, one dizzy spell, one unexpected crack in the sidewalk, could lead to a pedestrian instantly falling into the path of a moving vehicle with little to no time to react. Of course, the infrequency of such collisions could likely have a significant correlation with the fact that very few people use these sidewalks. Walking along sidewalks such as this one are typically only done by those with no other choice: no car and no other path to get where they need to go.
The solution is simple: build all sidewalks with a buffer from moving traffic. Typically, a landscape strip with trees is ideal, not only to provide a physical separation, but because it makes the street corridor more attractive to pedestrians and drivers alike and raises adjacent property values, along with all the environmental benefits. (Regularly used on-street parking can also provide a safety buffer between pedestrians and moving cars.) The Indianapolis-Marion County codes actually support the idea that sidewalks should be located with a buffer from the street, however, the City continues to build sidewalks similar to the one on Keystone Avenue.
The City is gearing up for a complete reconstruction of West 38th Street, between High School Road and I-65. The project will include construction of new sidewalks on both sides of 38th Street, but they will be immediately adjacent to the curb, forcing pedestrians to walk just a matter of inches from cars regularly traveling at 40-45 MPH, often faster. Although most of this corridor currently lack sidewalks, several portions actually include sidewalks that are buffered from the street, all of which will unfortunately be destroyed, regardless of their current condition, so that sidewalks can be rebuilt uniformly located right next to the street.
Why is the City doing this? I wish I knew. Maybe it's a buck or two cheaper to pour the sidewalk concrete right next to the curb because you only have to frame in on one side, rather than two. Although that would seem like a ridiculous reason to build an unsafe, unattractive, uninviting sidewalk, I can't think of any other reason. It's not for lack of available dedicated public right-of-way. A quick check of the General Data Viewer on the City's website shows that there is plenty of space in which to set the sidewalk back from the roadway. (The City's construction plans show that 38th Street is not being widened beyond its current curblines. It is only being reconstructed.)
So, while continually paying lip service to the idea of creating a more sustainable city conducive to alternate transportation, the City will take yet another step backward by destroying useful sidewalks and wasting money building sidewalks that will only be used as a last resort by the poor and downtrodden, furthering the belief that "Hoosiers love their cars" and they just wouldn't have it any other way.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Michigan Road & Interstate 465
View Larger Map
Recently driving through this interchange a couple times during the morning and afternoon peak periods raised a few questions for me. In the afternoons, it appears commonplace for traffic exiting from Eastbound I-465 to Michigan Road to back up quite some distance onto the mainline of I-465. Traffic sailing by at the speed limit in the left and center lanes, with traffic at a standstill, or stop and go in the right lane doesn't seem very safe, considering there will always be those drivers that need to exit, but don't realize, or don't care that they need to get to the right lane sooner. There's also those drivers unwittingly in the stopped right lane that don't wish to exit. These drivers will often attempt to move to the center lane to bypass the stop and go traffic, which also presents safety concerns.
Considering that Michigan Road was widened and the exit ramps rebuilt in the past couple years, couldn't this problem have been avoided? One solution would be a wider (more lanes) and longer (more lanes sooner with a longer queue area) exit ramp.
But I wonder if this problem highlights a bigger problem with Central Indiana freeway/expressways, that being the relative sparsity of interchanges. Consider, for drivers traveling east on I-465, the next exit after Michigan Road is Meridian Street, which is identified as being five miles away. For traffic that has traveled east on I-865 from southbound I-65, Michigan Road is the first exit after Zionsville (SR 334?), a distance of what, eight miles? Is there just too much traffic being funneled through this interchange?
Does INDOT have plans to add an interchange between Michigan and Meridian, at say Township Line Road or Ditch Road?
How about an interchange somewhere on I-865 (the "dogleg")?
View Larger Map
I suspect that folks in that area (Traders Point vicinity) might wish to preserve the ultra low-density, rural character of the area, but if subdivisions continue to develop west of Michigan Road and north and south of I-865, I would think that another interchange would be inevitable. I'm all for channeling growth toward existing infrastructure and preserving the development pattern of truly unique and historic rural areas, but that infrastructure has to be able to safely accommodate it. With virtually zero public transportation in this area, I doubt that the existing automobile infrastructure will keep pace with demand, as the backups at the Michigan Road interchange demonstrate.
Since I mentioned public transportation, let's shift gears from the Interstate down to the surface street. What is one to infer from the fact that the complete rebuilding and widening of Michigan Road from 86th to 96th Street did not include sidewalks, but yet the portion of the project north of 96th Street (Hamilton County) included sidewalks on both sides of the street? Michigan Road south of I-465 is not a state road and is wholly under the control of the City of Indianapolis - Marion County. North of I-465, this is U.S. 421, which although named a U.S. Highway, is under the authority of INDOT.
View Larger Map
There is very limited bus service on IndyGo Route 34 on Michigan Road from 86th Street to 96th Street. There is no bus service north of 96th Street. Interestingly, or sadly, short "islands" of sidewalk were constructed at some of the intersection corners, but what's the point? They don't allow anyone to walk along Michigan Road and they don't connect to anything east or west of Michigan Road. Since there are pedestrian signals, if you're fleet of foot, I suppose you could exit the bus and cross the street and reboard going back the opposite direction if you were just sightseeing along "Ye Olde Michigan Road".
View Larger Map
But seriously, how does a project like this occur in the 21st century in an urbanized area, where millions of dollars are being spent annually creating "pedestrian plans", "multi-modal design guidelines" and "rapid transit studies"?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Ducking along sidewalks
A certain blogger, let's call him me, took a walk this evening through a couple neighborhoods, let's call them the Old Northside and Cottage Home. Apparently being two of the city's most desirable neighborhoods, each located on the edge of downtown, one might expect to find the best pedestrian environment that the city has to offer. And that might actually be the case. But I have to say that I was surprised at the number of trees hanging over the sidewalk in desperate need of trimming. Sure, I'm over 6' tall, but I'm not like Greg Oden; I'd be a point guard at best in the NBA. So surely the experience of having to duck routinely to walk down the sidewalk without getting poked in the face is not unique to me. I'm accustomed to experiencing this in other neighborhoods of lesser prestige and cachet, if you will, but someone how I though these neighborhoods, where people presumably use the sidewalks and presumably are more civic-minded, engaged, and active in their communities than average, would be different.
I found this city ordinance that obligates property owners to trim trees, shrubs, and other vegetation from overhanging the sidewalk and other portions of the public right-of-way, but I would have to say that this is certainly not being enforced or communicated to the public with any regularity.
Sec. 701-6. Duties of property owner.
I found this city ordinance that obligates property owners to trim trees, shrubs, and other vegetation from overhanging the sidewalk and other portions of the public right-of-way, but I would have to say that this is certainly not being enforced or communicated to the public with any regularity.
Sec. 701-6. Duties of property owner.
(a) The owner of any private property in Marion County which borders or lies adjacent to any public street, alley, right-of-way, place or park and upon which any trees or flora may be standing shall trim or cause such trees or flora to be trimmed, either at the property line, or to a clear height of at least eight (8) feet above the surface of any abutting right-of-way or place, and fourteen (14) feet above any public street or alley. All branches or parts thereof which overhang any portion of a public street, alley, right-of-way, or place, or which obstruct or interfere with the passage of light from any street lighting system, shall be trimmed or cut. No person shall plant or maintain any tree or flora so close to any property line as to obstruct the vision or free passage of pedestrians or motorists along the streets or public right-of-way. The consolidated city or its contractual agent or agents may enter upon private property to do such cutting or trimming as may be necessary to remove any offending and obstructing tree or flora that is prohibited by the provisions hereof.
(b) An owner shall, and the consolidated city may, remove from flora all dead, decayed, broken or dangerous limbs, branches or parts thereof or any that overhang or are close to any public street, alley, right-of-way, or place, and, when any such flora is dead, the owner shall completely remove the same, or after notice to and failure of the owner so to do, the department or its lawful agents may cause such removal and charge the cost thereof to the owner in accordance with the procedures hereinafter provided.
Friday, March 6, 2009
What's wrong with this picture?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
New York & Michigan Street transformations
These plans were on display at the annual meeting of the Near East Side Community Organization. Thoughts?
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Dear Mayor Ballard
Dear Mayor Ballard,
Every mayor has a legacy. For Richard Lugar, it was Unigov; for William Hudnut, it was bringing the Colts to Indy. It might be too early to say how Bart Peterson will be remembered (keeping the Colts in Indy? leaving the City in a financial crisis for the maintenance on Lucas Oil Stadium?), but it's not too early for you to start thinking about what your legacy might be.
Gaining control of IMPD from the Sheriff? Significant, but probably not something to set you apart from others.
Township consolidation? This would be a significant accomplishment as well, but the initial groundwork was laid by the previous administration.
Here's an idea; you could be the mayor who, for the first time in the history of the City, made making Indy safe and convenient for pedestrians a real priority and followed through. Sure, we've heard lip service to concern for building and maintaining sidewalks in the past, and the Cultural Trail is an innovative development that has drawn attention from around the country.
But the sad truth is that for the 99+% of Indy residents who don't live or work on the Cultural Trail or need to travel outside a two-block radius of Monument Circle, the pedestrian infrastructure is in sad shape. The absent pedestrian signals and crosswalks, the missing sidewalk segments, and the poor location (directly adjacent to traffic) and maintenance (crumble, crumble) of existing sidewalks discourage most people from walking by choice.
But of even more critical importance is the state of our sidewalks right now as you read this letter. Please take a drive around Indy, and get out of the vehicle in random locations to experience what it is like to be one of our citizens who doesn't own a private automobile. You won't even have to leave the Mile Square to see myriad examples of residents and businesses who have forgone both the civic and legal obligation to ensure safe passage for our neighbors of greatest need. They might be children walking to school, the elderly going shopping for basic needs, parents riding the bus to work, or they might simply be young adults like myself who are fortunate enough to own a car, but who would like to have other transportation options. No matter, we are all rendered second class citizens who must remain home or be forced to walk in streets with traffic which is obviously not safe.
What will visitors think if there is a snowfall during the week of the Super Bowl? What do visitors think today? What do residents who have helped revitalize urban neighborhoods, in part because they want to live in vibrant communities where they can walk to destinations, think of the current state of our sidewalks? Surely they are not impressed.
You might ask what you can do. Certainly, the City can not be expected to clear everyone's sidewalk. It's up to each property owner or tenant to do their part. So how can you, Mayor Ballard, address this issue? I'm glad you asked.
First, use the bully pulpit of your office to make it clear to all Indy residents and property owners that this is a serious problem, but that there is a simple solution that can be achieved, only if we all do our part. By stressing the importance of maintaining a safe pedestrian network, you can begin to change the culture, which is key.
Next, make clear that this is not only a civic duty and moral obligation, but a legal requirement. Although it would be difficult to immediately enforce this ordinance throughout Indy, you must dedicate resources, reallocating them from other duties if necessary, to issue warnings and citations for failure to clear snow from sidewalks. There have to be repercussions for those who will not be swayed by polite request alone, and you must solicit the media to highly publicize the enforcement efforts.
Right now, many people see no reason to shovel their sidewalks, when many or most of their neighbors do not. Once the culture begins to change, and the unshoveled sidewalk becomes the exception to the norm, then each individual will realize the community benefit in doing their part. But that cultural shift can only be accomplished by a publicity campaign, led by you, followed up by enforcement of the ordinance.
Please Mr. Mayor, make the goal of creating a city that is safe for pedestrians all year long a priority. I guarantee you'll find it worth the effort. The alternative of watching pedestrians take to the streets and hoping they don't become fatal statistics is not acceptable for a world class city.
Every mayor has a legacy. For Richard Lugar, it was Unigov; for William Hudnut, it was bringing the Colts to Indy. It might be too early to say how Bart Peterson will be remembered (keeping the Colts in Indy? leaving the City in a financial crisis for the maintenance on Lucas Oil Stadium?), but it's not too early for you to start thinking about what your legacy might be.
Gaining control of IMPD from the Sheriff? Significant, but probably not something to set you apart from others.
Township consolidation? This would be a significant accomplishment as well, but the initial groundwork was laid by the previous administration.
Here's an idea; you could be the mayor who, for the first time in the history of the City, made making Indy safe and convenient for pedestrians a real priority and followed through. Sure, we've heard lip service to concern for building and maintaining sidewalks in the past, and the Cultural Trail is an innovative development that has drawn attention from around the country.
But the sad truth is that for the 99+% of Indy residents who don't live or work on the Cultural Trail or need to travel outside a two-block radius of Monument Circle, the pedestrian infrastructure is in sad shape. The absent pedestrian signals and crosswalks, the missing sidewalk segments, and the poor location (directly adjacent to traffic) and maintenance (crumble, crumble) of existing sidewalks discourage most people from walking by choice.
But of even more critical importance is the state of our sidewalks right now as you read this letter. Please take a drive around Indy, and get out of the vehicle in random locations to experience what it is like to be one of our citizens who doesn't own a private automobile. You won't even have to leave the Mile Square to see myriad examples of residents and businesses who have forgone both the civic and legal obligation to ensure safe passage for our neighbors of greatest need. They might be children walking to school, the elderly going shopping for basic needs, parents riding the bus to work, or they might simply be young adults like myself who are fortunate enough to own a car, but who would like to have other transportation options. No matter, we are all rendered second class citizens who must remain home or be forced to walk in streets with traffic which is obviously not safe.
What will visitors think if there is a snowfall during the week of the Super Bowl? What do visitors think today? What do residents who have helped revitalize urban neighborhoods, in part because they want to live in vibrant communities where they can walk to destinations, think of the current state of our sidewalks? Surely they are not impressed.
You might ask what you can do. Certainly, the City can not be expected to clear everyone's sidewalk. It's up to each property owner or tenant to do their part. So how can you, Mayor Ballard, address this issue? I'm glad you asked.
First, use the bully pulpit of your office to make it clear to all Indy residents and property owners that this is a serious problem, but that there is a simple solution that can be achieved, only if we all do our part. By stressing the importance of maintaining a safe pedestrian network, you can begin to change the culture, which is key.
Next, make clear that this is not only a civic duty and moral obligation, but a legal requirement. Although it would be difficult to immediately enforce this ordinance throughout Indy, you must dedicate resources, reallocating them from other duties if necessary, to issue warnings and citations for failure to clear snow from sidewalks. There have to be repercussions for those who will not be swayed by polite request alone, and you must solicit the media to highly publicize the enforcement efforts.
Right now, many people see no reason to shovel their sidewalks, when many or most of their neighbors do not. Once the culture begins to change, and the unshoveled sidewalk becomes the exception to the norm, then each individual will realize the community benefit in doing their part. But that cultural shift can only be accomplished by a publicity campaign, led by you, followed up by enforcement of the ordinance.
Please Mr. Mayor, make the goal of creating a city that is safe for pedestrians all year long a priority. I guarantee you'll find it worth the effort. The alternative of watching pedestrians take to the streets and hoping they don't become fatal statistics is not acceptable for a world class city.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)