"Mean Streets" Report Finds Arlington Safest for Pedestrians in Northern Virginia
December 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information contact,
December 2, 2004 Charles Taylor, (703) 228-7943
chtaylor@arlingtonva.us
(703) 228-4611 (TTY)
"Mean Streets" Report Finds Arlington Safest for Pedestrians
in Northern Virginia
ARLINGTON -- Arlington is the safest place for pedestrians in Northern Virginia and the second safest in the Washington-Baltimore region, according to a national report released today.
This is the first year that the "Mean Streets" study provides a pedestrian danger index for each major city and county in the region. The report, from the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STTP), announced the results for 19 area jurisdictions.
"Arlington prides itself on being a pedestrian-friendly community," said County Board Chair Barbara A. Favola. "From our Safe Routes to School program to our WALKArlington and traffic-calming initiatives, Arlington will continue to invest in making our streets safer for all modes of transportation."
Over the last five years, Arlington has invested more than $13 million in specific pedestrian-safety-related capital improvements, such as traffic-calming measures, intersection improvements and sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Currently, more than $17.5 million in projects are in the pipeline, and about $16.2 million are budgeted over the next six years. These figures do not include other transportation improvements, all of which are designed with pedestrians in mind.
Laura Olsen, assistant director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, said: "The best communities for walkers, the District of Columbia, Arlington County and Baltimore City, are places that have invested in creating safe and enjoyable places to walk. The result is more walkers and safer streets." The Coalition and STTP collaborated on the metropolitan region results.
Outer suburban counties in Maryland and Virginia top the list as the most dangerous places for walkers. "It is not surprising that counties dominated by scattered development with wide, fast roads, few crosswalks and sidewalks that end or don't exist at all are more dangerous for pedestrians," added Olsen.
"America's mean streets are meanest to our youngest and oldest citizens, and to African-American and Latino pedestrians," Judith E. Espinosa, chair of the STPP Board of Directors, said in an STTP press release. "We need to find out why this is happening and take the necessary steps to correct it."
The Coalition recommends that local governments and developers do more to create town center and main street communities with narrower, safer and integrated street networks which encourage more walking and fewer auto trips.
Olsen noted, "Everyone in this region deserves safe places to walk. In a time of growing childhood and adult obesity, safe walking routes to school, transit, work, the store and even the coffee shop improve people's health and offer people a good travel option for short trips."
Ranking County/City with their Pedestrian Danger Index
(1. is most dangerous, 19. is safest)
1. Spotsylvania County (VA)
2. Charles County (MD)
3. Prince George's County (MD)
4. Howard County (MD)
5. Loudoun County (VA)
6. Baltimore County (MD)
7. Harford County (MD)
8. Prince William County (VA)
9. Montgomery County (MD)
10. Fairfax County (VA)
11. Anne Arundel County (MD)
12. Carroll County (MD)
13. Frederick County (MD)
15. Alexandria (VA)
16. Stafford County (VA)
17. Baltimore City (MD)
18. Arlington County (VA)
19. District of Columbia
The Mean Streets study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project uses federal transportation and census data to rank areas according to their danger to walkers. It also analyzes spending of federal transportation funds on pedestrian safety and facilities at the state and metropolitan level. The Pedestrian Danger index ranks the jurisdictions based on pedestrian deaths, size and the amount people walk in each jurisdiction. For more information, visit www.smartergrowth.net/pressroom/PressReleases/2004.12.02Meanstreets.html.
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