Wyoming ranked 8th lowest in nation for pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people; communities could benefit by making streets safer for walking, New Report Shows

Friends of Pathways Urges Senator Barrasso, Senator Enzi and Representative Lummis to Support Increased Focus on Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety in Upcoming Federal Transportation Legislation

Jackson, Wyoming — Wyoming has a low pedestrian fatality rate and one of the lowest percentages of pedestrian deaths to total highway fatalities in the nation, a new report shows. But the low rates may simply reflect that many people feel unsafe and don’t walk as much as they would like. The report also suggests efforts to make Wyoming communities more walkable would create healthier and better places to live.

The report, Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods), ranks America’s major metropolitan areas and states according to a Pedestrian Danger Index that assesses how safe they are for walking. An update of the 2004 Mean Streets report, Dangerous by Design was released by Transportation for America (T4America.org) and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership.

The report authors note that most pedestrian deaths are preventable, because they occur on streets that are designed to encourage speeding traffic and lack safe sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian signals and other protections. Fixing these problems is a matter of will on the part of state departments of transportation and local communities, and of shifting spending priorities, the report concludes.

The report also examined how states and localities are spending federal transportation money that could be used to make the most dangerous streets safer, and found that Wyoming ranks even with the national level, spending 1.5% of federal transportation funding on bicycle and pedestrian projects. The upcoming reauthorization of the Transportation Bill could provide Wyoming communities with enhanced federal funding support and programs to help build complete streets and improve safety.

“Building complete streets that work for everyone is good business all the way around,” said Tim Young, Executive Director of Friends of Pathways in Jackson. “Walking and cycling are good for our health, and attractive main streets support Wyoming’s tourism industry,” he said. “Complete streets are not only safe, but help create more appealing, livable communities.”

While walking conditions remain perilous across the country, many communities are working to make their streets safe and welcoming for people on foot or bicycle, the report shows. Communities across the country are beginning to reverse the dangerous legacy of 50 years of anti-pedestrian policies by retrofitting or building new roads as “complete streets” that are safer for walking and bicycling as well as motorists.

“Wyoming had 9 pedestrian fatalities between 2007 and 2008, and many more pedestrian crashes with injuries occurring each year. Many people are frankly dissuaded from walking more.” Young said. Experts note the Wyoming obesity rate has held stubbornly at 25%, and walking is increasingly seen as part of the solution to getting more exercise essential to basic health. In Jackson Hole, the Town and County have set goals to encourage more residents to engage in healthy levels of activity by investing in sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic calming and other safety measures,” said Young. “However, in many cases we are hampered by state and federal policies that continue to promote dangerous conditions.”

Investments across Wyoming are showing the positive connections between complete streets and healthy downtown economies. Many communities have benefited from Enhancement and Safe Routes to School funding through WYDOT. For example, the successful sidewalk and street renovations around the Capital in downtown Cheyenne, and wider sidewalks with street trees in north Jackson show the benefits and cost effectiveness of building complete and safe streets.

“As Congress prepares to rewrite the nation’s transportation law, this report is yet another wake-up call showing why it is so urgent to update our policies and spending priorities,” said James Corless, director of Transportation for America.

Friends of Pathways encourages Senator Barrasso, Senator Enzi, and Representative Lummis to support improved policies and funding support for pedestrian and bicycle projects in the next transportation bill, which would benefit Wyoming communities. Details should include adopting a national complete streets policy, along with continued support for Safe Routes to School, a fair share for pedestrian and bicycle safety, and continuing the transportation enhancements and recreational trails programs.

Under the current federal transportation bill, less than 1.5 percent of available funds nationally are directed toward pedestrian safety, although pedestrians account for nearly 12 percent of all traffic deaths and 9 percent of total trips. Between 2007 and 2008, more than 700 children under the age of 15 were killed walking.

Communities around Wyoming have looked to federal transportation safety programs to help address pedestrian safety problems, but safety funding for bicycle and pedestrian needs remain extremely limited.

Seven organizations served on the steering committee for this report, working closely with T4 America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. These organizations include the American Public Health Association, AARP, Smart Growth America, America Bikes, America Walks, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and the National Complete Streets Coalition.

###

ABOUT FRIENDS OF PATHWAYS: Friends of Pathways promotes and facilitates non-motorized transportation and recreation options in Jackson Hole through program development, fund raising, advocacy, and fostering public-private partnerships. By creating a balanced transportation system and quality recreation network, Friends of Pathways seeks to enhance community character and interaction.

ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA (T4AMERICA) Transportation for America is a broad coalition of housing, environmental, equal opportunity, public health, urban planning, transportation and other organizations focused on creating a 21st century national transportation program. The coalition’s goal is to build a modernized infrastructure and healthy communities where people can live, work and play by aligning national, state and local transportation policies with an array of issues like economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing and community development. www.t4america.org

For the full report go to: Dangerous by Design