From the look of things, international airline pilot/international walker Tim Miner has logged almost as many miles on foot as in the air. Next weekend (October 19-21, 2007), he'll add to the miles-on-foot column when he and an estimated 1,000 fellow walkers from around the world hit the trail as part of Arlington's international, non-competitive walking weekend, the U.S. FreedomWalk Festival, which he founded in 2002.
For more about Tim, as well as information on how to take part in this year's FreedomWalk Festival, read on....
Pick Your Own: Fall Update on Arlington Walking Groups
Back in the July/August issue of the Pacer, WALKArlington responded to a number of inquiries about walking groups in Arlington by asking interested walkers to contact us regarding their preferred schedules and locations. The goal was to review responses and come up with a regular walking day and time that would accommodate the majority.
Alas, in our mixed-use commercial/residential county, the array of respondents ran from people who work in Arlington to people who live in Arlington to people who commute through Arlington. And with our 24/7 lifestyles, reponses ran the gamut from folks who wanted weekday walks to those who prefer weekend walks, those who preferred mornings over afternoons, afternoons over evenings, and so on. Needless to say, there was no consensus and therefore no simple solution. Without a clear mandate, we turned to the local business community for more immediate opportunities.
We didn't have to look far -- two Clarendon-based retail stores offer walking/running groups that meet regularly and are open to the public. Here are the specifics:
- Lululemon, 2847 Clarendon Boulevard, across from the Market Common; 703-807-0539; clarendon-store@lululemon.com The store hosts a group that focuses on running for runners, non-runners, and walkers every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and is in the planning stages of forming a daytime stroller walking group for stay-at-home parents. Lululemon also holds free in-store yoga classes every week and displays an array of fun, quirky, and up-to-date community bulletin boards on a variety of worthwhile topics, from recycling to walking.
- Pacers, 3100 Clarendon Boulevard, across from the Clarendon Metro station; 703-248-6883. The store hosts two, one-hour walk/run group sessions each week, on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. and on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Pacers also sponsors numerous local walking and running events.
We encourage you to check out these stores' evening walks, along with walks offered by other Arlington walking/running clubs like Road Runners, featured in the May issue of the Pacer.
Meanwhile, WALKArlington is issuing one LAST CALL for folks who are interested in forming their own Arlington walking group(s). If you haven't already responded, please send an e-mail with the subject line WALKING GROUP to lhassel@arlingtonva.us. Include your name, preferred e-mail address, preferred walking schedule (weekday, weekend, time of day, etc.), preferred route/starting location (most respondents to date are along the Orange line corridor, mainly in Ballston-Virginia Square), and any other preferences or ideas to consider (stroller walks? dog walks?, etc.) Please also let us know if you'd be interested in leading/coordinating a walking group once it's formed!
We'll add your information to our matrix, crunch the numbers, and notify everyone of the results as soon as possible -- hopefully before the leaves and temperatures fall!
Findings on Walkability: Where Do You Fall?
A recent study of pedestrian behavior by the Mineta Transportation Institute entitled How Far, By Which Route, and Why? A Spatial Analysis of Pedestrian Preference provides some valuable insights for urban designers, transportation planners, and traffic engineers. (click on the link for information on methodology)
Three key findings from the survey stand out as relevant for future planning efforts:
- Pedestrians walk considerably farther than is commonly assumed or acknowledged. Conventional wisdom among planners has been that pedestrians in the U.S. will walk only 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile for any reason, including to access transit. Survey results show the median trip distance to be .47 miles or nearly 1/2 mile. This finding suggests that transportation and land-use planners designing transit-oriented developments should plan to provide pedestrian infrastructure and pedestrian-scaled design within a larger radius than previously assumed.
- Pedestrians believe that their primary consideration in choosing a route is minimizing time and distance. Respondents overwhelmingly indicated that their first priority was to choose the most direct and/or quickest route. Not surprising, considering the fact that respondents were making morning commute trips. These results suggest that land-use planners who want to increase walk trips should ensure that pedestrians have direct access to their destinations.
- Secondary factors influencing sidewalk route choice are safety, and to a lesser extent, attractiveness of the route, sidewalk quality, and the absence of long waits at traffic lights. In both open- and closed-ended questions about route choice, the most highly rated factors after distance had to do with safety. These results suggest that transportation planners and traffic engineers wanting to encourage walking should pay attention to safety issues like safe speeds and traffic control devices.
How do you feel about these findings? Where do you fall? Let WALKArlington know by e-mailing lhassel@arlingtonva.us and we'll share your input with Arlington's transportation planners.
News Round-Up and a Bushel of Thanks
Green & Fit Walkabout in Arlington Forest
Sunny skies and cool temperatures greeted the nearly 75 walkers who turned out for WALKArlington's Green & Fit Walkabout of the Arlington Forest neighborhood on Sunday, September 23. Co-led by Arlington County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson and Vice-Chair J. Walter Tejada, enthusiastic walkers, kids in strollers, and a few dogs (see photo of walkers outside the Mary Carlin House) spent nearly two hours exploring Arlington Forest and learning about the neighborhood's history, cultural resources, recreational opportunities, and natural features, as well as "green" and "fit" facts related to the Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) and FitArlington.
For instance, did you know that the W&OD Trail is the most used rail-trail in the U.S., with 3 million commuters per year, all of whom are doing their part to reduce emissions and stay fit?
Other Arlington VIPs who joined the walkabout included County Board Member Christopher Zimmerman, Arlington School Board Member Ed Fendley, County Board candidate and former School Board Member Mary Hynes, and Arlington Forest Citizens Association President Julie Kirchhoff. (Julie hosts the video version of the Arlington Forest walkabout, which is now in production and will debut on AVN, Arlington's cable channel, and on the WALKArlington website later this fall.)
Thanks to everyone -- from the community members who walked with us to the Arlington County police who escorted us to the Arlington Forest Citizens Association members who welcomed us -- for making this walkabout such a success!
Walk and Bike to School Day 2007
At the encouragement of Arlington Public Schools (APS) and with support from WALKArlington, elementary and middle school students around the County took part in Walk and Bike to School Day festivities on Wednesday, October 3.
At Long Branch Elementary School, where an impressive 30 kids typically walk and 24 kids bike or scooter each day, an additional 32 students walked and biked to school with their families on Walk and Bike to School Day. The school did the math [30+24+32 = 86 and 86/419 total students = .21 or 21%] and their total of 86 walkers/bikers means that 21 percent of all Long Branch students walked and biked to school on October 3!
Walkers and bikers were rewarded for their efforts with healthy snacks set up at four rest stops en route, and all students received reflective WALKArlington/BikeArlington wristbands on arrival at school. Photographs from Walk and Bike to School Day at Long Branch will be posted on the WALKArlington website by month's end.
Thank you to APS and to Long Branch Elementary School families, faculty, and staff for all you did on October 3 and all you do every day in support of student health and fitness. Keep on walking!
