#dangerousbydesign

Disclaimer: The views here are those of private citizens and do not reflect the views of any organization.

Starting in spring 2017, southbound Ellendale/Wellington/Wabash will be permanently reduced to one southbound travel lane from Slay Park to Lansdowne. This is ONE travel lane for all southbound road users, including drivers of motor vehicles, tractor trailers, and bicycles.

Major concerns:

Project did not allow for, nor incorporate, adequate input from all road users, many of whom are commuters and do not live in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Most “road diets” include a center turn lane to allow faster moving vehicles to pass slow or stopped vehicles.

This design lacks a center turn lane, and has only ONE passing opportunity over a mile long stretch.

Increased congestion and increased response time for emergency vehicles.

Delays for users accessing the road from side streets.

The project will include a sidewalk multi-use path, but this design presents several dangers to bicyclists:

Safe operation on a sidewalk/sidepath requires very slow speeds, less than 8mph -- this is not practical for commuter bicyclists.

Due to turning conflicts and debris, it is safest and most efficient for commuter bicyclists to use a shared travel lane (i.e., NOT the sidewalk or multi-use path).

Most motorists have about a 43 second patience threshold when behind a slow moving road user, including bicyclists.

The impending lane loss, with only one passing opportunity over a mile of road will generate incivility and frustration among road users and create unsafe conditions for bicyclists using the road for transportation.

Neighborhood input on this project showed strong preference for a route that follows River Des Peres and not the road.  A river route would alleviate the concerns listed above. 

The original plans for the road route, as submitted to East West Gateway for funding included keeping the two southbound travel lanes, which would also address our concerns.

This project is funded in part by a federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant.  The number of commuters who would have to trade their car for a bicycle to achieve either a reduction in congestion or an improvement in air quality due to this project is simply unrealistic. In reality, southbound Ellendale/Wellington/Wabash will become much MORE congested and/or the motor vehicle traffic will divert to alternate routes which will themselves become more congested.

This is a project of Great Rivers Greenway (GRG), and plans can be found here:

http://3saguo2foe1c2j78571kps4o.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/River-des-Peres-Greenway-Aerial-View-of-Project-Southern-Section.pdf

http://3saguo2foe1c2j78571kps4o.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/River-des-Peres-Greenway-Aerial-View-of-Project-Northern-Section.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

May 20, 2014                                                                                               

CONTACT:

Michelle Blundell, 202.478.6176

[email protected]

Wendy Landman, 617.367.9255

[email protected]  

BOSTON METRO AREA RANKED LEAST DANGEROUS IN THE NATION IN SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS  Older adults, children most threatened by streets built for speed, not safety 

BOSTON, MA – Boston is among the safest in the nation for pedestrians, ranking 1st out of the 51 largest metro areas, a new report released by the National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, said.

While many streets across the country are perilous for people walking, hundreds of communities, like the City of Boston and a number of Boston area municipalities, are working to make their streets safe and welcoming for people on foot. In recent years, scores of communities have begun to redesign roads as “complete streets,” adding sidewalks and bicycle lanes, reducing crossing distances and improving crosswalks. Such design features have helped make walking safe and comfortable for everyone. Pedestrian safety is not only important for the lives it saves and injuries it prevents, but it also promotes vibrant businesses, attracts tourists, reduces pollution and allows for healthier communities with increased physical activity. Though the report found that Greater Boston is safer when compared to other metros across the country, 476 pedestrians were killed from 2003 to 2012 — an unacceptable number no matter Boston’s ranking. Continuing to invest resources in making our streets safe for all users is key to ending these preventable deaths.

In addition to ranking America’s major metropolitan areas according to a Pedestrian Danger Index to assess how safe pedestrians are while walking, the report, Dangerous by Design presents data on pedestrian fatalities and injuries in every U.S. metro area, state, and county. The report also includes an online, interactive map showing the locations where people walking have been fatally struck by the driver of a vehicle. “While we should celebrate our good ranking, we must remember that the last decade has seen 476 pedestrians killed on Boston area roads, which represents almost 20 percent of all traffic fatalities,” said Wendy Landman, Executive Director of WalkBoston. “Almost 7,000 pedestrians were injured during that same period, and 34 child pedestrians died in Massachusetts from 2003 - 2010. These numbers keep us focused on a future where our streets are safe for everyone.”

These are all preventable tragedies. WalkBoston continues to work hard with state, municipal and neighborhood partners to make our streets and sidewalks safe for all walkers. WalkBoston will soon begin a new safety initiative with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to increase traffic safety in 12 pilot communities (Brockton, Cambridge, Fall River, Haverhill, Lynn, New Bedford, Newton, Pittsfield, Quincy, Salem, Somerville and Watertown). WalkBoston is currently working with the Boston Public Schools on improving walking conditions between middle schools and nearby transit and bus stops.  

The majority of pedestrian deaths occur on roadways that are dangerous by design —engineered and operated for speeding traffic with little to no provision for the safety of people walking, biking or using public transit. Sadly, older adults, children and minorities are the most at risk while walking, dying in disproportionate numbers.

“Our hardest work lies ahead in places like Blue Hill Avenue in Dorchester and Mattapan and Cambridge Street in Allston where wide streets and fast-moving cars make it less safe and less attractive for walkers,” said Landman. “By way of contrast, just ask a restaurant owner in the North End whether its attractive and safe walking environment fuels their business.”

Pedestrian safety is often perceived as a strictly local issue but, for decades, federal dollars have been invested in thousands of miles of state and local roads in the heart of communities. In fact, 68 percent of all pedestrian fatalities over the past decade occurred on federal-aid roads — roads that follow federal guidelines and are eligible to receive federal funds.

“We are allowing an epidemic of pedestrian fatalities, brought on by streets designed for speed and not safety, to take nearly 5,000 lives a year; a number that increased six percent between 2011 and 2012,” said Roger Millar, Director of the National Complete Streets Coalition. “Not only is that number simply too high, but these deaths are easily prevented through policy, design, and practice.  State and local transportation leaders need to prioritize the implementation of Complete Streets policies to improve safety for people walking.”

The federal government sets the tone for a national approach to safety, and Congress can address this critical issue by passing the Safe Streets Act as it renews the transportation law. State governments and agencies also can take a number of actions to improve pedestrian safety, starting with adopting a strong Complete Streets policy and following a comprehensive action plan to ensure the streets are planned and designed for the safety and comfort of people walking.

We look forward to the day when our services are no longer in high demand. We aren’t there yet. So, lets celebrate our accomplishments but remain dedicated to a future of complete streets and safety for all.

 To view the full report, please click here.

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­­­­­About The National Complete Streets Coalition The National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, seeks to fundamentally transform the look, feel and function of the roads and streets in our community, by changing the way most roads are planned, designed and constructed. Complete Streets policies direct transportation planners and engineers to consistently plan and design streets with all users in mind.

About Smart Growth America  Smart Growth America is the only national organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring better development to more communities nationwide. From providing more sidewalks to ensuring more homes are built near public transportation or that productive farms remain a part of our communities, smart growth helps make sure people across the nation can live in great neighborhoods.