Walk City 2001
The purpose of this section of our ECFD 2001 preparatory efforts is to do what we can to engage these groups and via the web make their knowledge, working tools, and energy available to people in many places who are on the lookout for ideas and means for improving the environment for safe, pleasant and efficient walking in their communities. We understand that many of these people and groups may wish to take a more active part, not only in celebrating Earth Car Free Day on a single day in April of this year, but also perhaps in making a continuing contribution to advancing the walk agenda in their cities.
For this reason we feel it important that Earth Car Free Day 2001 be identified in people's minds as a wide-open, creative, positive experience, with actions and projects designed and led by knowledgeable local groups and citizens. And because these are in almost all cases rather complex challenges, it is important that those who get involved locally have access to world-level competence and expertise in order to get their projects right.
Here are the sort of questions that the local teams without deep experience are going to need help with when it comes to organizing their walk projects for April 19th (and thereafter):
As luck would have it there is already a well developed background of thinking and practice along these lines, which you can now start to tap into here. Here is the first cut listing of leading organizations active in this area, maintaining websites, open to contact and ready to help.
Many of these groups already have developed 'good practice guides' of various sorts which are intended to stimulate and support specific projects and improvements in their cities. We hope to work with them to create a general compendium of measures and approaches which are universally useful. Then, once any given group or city begin to craft their own projects for the Day, they can use this network to solicit critical reactions and suggestions for their plans.
Group working draft . . . in-process
Notice concerning this working draft and invitation to participate:
Over the last several decades, and in particular over the last ten years or so, a growing number of pedestrian advocacy and support groups have sprung up in cities all over the world. For most of them it has been a real hard slog to make any progress, but a surprising number have not only managed to survive bureaucratic and more general public and media indifference, and in the process have managed to create real improvements, new projects, and solid cores of informed citizens and activists ready to go out into the street and block by block, step by step do what they can to advance the walking, safety and health agendas in their cities.
"Walk City?"
If one can permit one salient criticism of many of the car free day projects that have been led over the last few years, it might be that they have in the main been identified with a negative concept (i.e., "get the cars out") -- as opposed to something more dynamic and positive (such as "here are a couple of dozen concrete things that we are doing to take advantage of this new urban space and calm that is now becoming available when we get the cars out"). And as any marketing person (or parent) knows full well, it tends to be hard to sell people on a negative idea.
Concrete, Positive Actions Needed
Awaiting more specific help with these imprtant issues, here are two good planning sources to get you started in this process:
Plenty of Great Help Available
A non-profit national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities. Our mission is to foster the development of community-based pedestrian advocacy groups and to educate the public about the benefits of walking.
Organises, through its clubs, walk events designed for people of all ages and abilities.
One of the most effective ways to call attention to creating a better pedestrian environment is to document the deaths and injuries suffered by pedestrians. In most communities pedestrians are a significant portion of annual traffic fatalities, yet little is done to make the walking environment safer. You can find local statistics that will show the media and officials that the problem is real.
ETA encourages people to walk and cycle more. Every June the ETA co-ordinates a nationwide Green Transport Week. During this week, many towns and cities participate in events, including National Car Free Day.
Gives advice on how to be more active in your day-to-day activities, and offers ways to protect, enhance and restore the environment.
A work-in-progress compiled with input from members of the Pednet list
Report analyzes failures of present system, taking a close look at pedestrian fatalities, and spending on streets, roads and highways -- the billions of dollars spent each year that frequently makes roads less safe for pedestrians.
Internet Resource Center: an electronic information center for bicycle and pedestrian advocates, practitioners, public officials and interested citizens.
National Safety Council
PBIC provides communities information and resources to create safe places for bicycling and walking and to promote healthy lifestyles and neighborhoods through increased bicycling and walking.
From its earliest days, the Association has been scoring successes on behalf of pedestrians. In 1920s, campaigns persuaded the Government to introduce the driving test, the 30mph urban speed limit and pedestrian crossings.
Goals: continual improvement of pedestrian safety, amenity and access; promotion of walking as a legitimate transport mode and an important, healthy, social activity; encouragement of the inclusion of pedestrian safety, amenity and access provisions in all urban and transport planning.
Founded in 1996, PEDS is a grass roots advocacy group that is dedicated to making metropolitan Atlanta safe and accessible for all pedestrians. One of just fifteen local pedestrian advocacy groups in the nation, PEDS is impacting local, regional, state, and national transportation decisions.
A monthly television series promoting awareness
of issues affecting the safety of people who walk.
PPS is a non-profit organization that for 25 years has successfully carried out its mission statement to build communities by creating the special places that build community life.
A group of activists dedicated to asserting the rights of car-free street users -- including pedestrians, cyclists, and skaters -- and fighting back against car violence. Their home base is New York City, but they hope to report on, and help stimulate, action and awareness in other locales as well.
It stands for sustainable transport - is a charity working on practical projects to encourage people to walk and cycle more, so as to help reduce motor traffic and its adverse effects.
developed in conjunction with the US National Child Passenger Safety Week program.
One of the oldest and most active walk groups in the States.
The pedestrian advocacy organization for the Washington DC region.
But walking can also be dangerous. How can you avoid getting into a crash? Well, let’s see.
a non-profit corporation, established in the state of Florida in 1996. It was organized for the express purposes of helping whole communities, whether they are large cities or small towns, or parts of communities, i.e. neighborhoods, business districts, parks, school districts, subdivisions, specific roadway corridors, etc., become more walkable and pedestrian friendly.
(And don't forget if you need help with a language you do not master, you can make good use of the Translate button on the top bar above.)
Ouch!
We recognize that this list is gravely lacking, in particular in its grossly insufficient European coverage and in that of providing information on groups who are doing their best to advance the walk agenda in Third World cities. Help us do better here. Thanks from all of us.
Leading by Example
Section to follow:
It is here where you will in time hopefully find the "project summaries" that we are inviting local teams around the world to submit in order to share their experience with other groups, projects and places. One advantage that such sharing can have for them is that they can thereby have the benefit of having external expert comments and suggestions on their plans. This is intended to show the power of open planning in the age of the Information Society.
There are no less than four things that we are hoping to achieve if we can encourage you and your neighbors to organize and run their own local Walk City program on April 19th.
The Insidious Plot
What great steps toward more sustainable lives those four things would be!
This is where you come in... the one-click link you can use to share your ideas and tips about people and places with whom we should be in touch to make a success out of ECFD 2001. Better yet, why not click here to reply to the EarthCarFreeDay mailbox so that your information and comments will get to the others immediately, and perhaps stimulate them in turn.
And here is where you come in
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