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PEDESTRIAN SAFETY - EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY

According to the National Safety Council, approximately 5,900 pedestrians are killed by automobiles every year... 84,000 suffer nonfatal injuries. Almost one-third of these victims are children under the age of 15 yet they represent only about 15% of the U.S. population. A growing number of communities are implementing measures to make their environments more walkable, ranging from including sidewalks on all newly constructed streets, to implementing widespread traffic-calming measures.

The physical environment does impact how much and how safely residents can and will walk. In research comparing communities with suburban sprawl (few sidewalks and inaccessible pedestrian destinations like large malls surrounded by parking lots) to traditional communities (with plentiful sidewalks and inviting downtown commercial areas), it was found there were three times as many pedestrian trips in the communities designed with pedestrians in mind.

Locally, St. Petersburg is the first city in the country to use the new mid-block Pedestrian Crosswalk DED “stutter” light warning system. The “Enhancer” is the first traffic signal device in the nation that utilized super bright LED technology and a “stutter flash”. In four test locations in St. Petersburg, results show that more than 90% of motorists stop when the LED stutter lights are activated by the pedestrian.

For further information on the system go to http://www.stpete.org/bicycle/index.htm.

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT

CASE STUDIES AVAILABLE

The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) recently completed a database of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) case studies as part of a research project called the National Smart Transportation Archive Researcher (NSTAR). The purpose was to develop an online, updatable, easily searchable database of case studies reliably documenting the effective use of transportation demand management (TDM) strategies. These case studies are from work sites that have implemented commuter choice programs for the purpose of reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and single occupant vehicle (SOV) mode share.

The database is intended for use by transportation professionals and worksite employee transportation coordinators to develop and improve the effectiveness of their own programs for the purposes of reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality. The database contains over 100 case studies nationwide.

The database is located on the Help Desk of the National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse at http://www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse.

1.4 BILLION GALLONS OF GASOLINE AND

$6,200 PER HOUSEHOLD SAVED

In a recent announcement from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), a groundbreaking new study found that public transportation use saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline every year, and can reduce household expenses by $6,200 – more than the average household pays for food in a year.

The study, "Public Transportation and Petroleum Savings in the U.S.: Reducing Dependence on Oil," was prepared for APTA by ICF International. It finds that: Public transportation usage reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by 1.4 billion gallons each year – or the equivalent of 108 million cars filling up, almost 300,000 each day. These savings result from the efficiency of carrying multiple passengers in each vehicle; the reduction in traffic congestion from fewer automobiles on the roads; and the varied sources of energy for public transportation. If twice as many Americans had the choice of taking public transportation, these gasoline savings would at least double to 2.8 billion gallons each year.

Households that are likely to use public transportation on a given day save over $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation service. These households have two workers, one car and are within three-quarters of a mile of public transportation.

The full report is available online at www.apta.com and www.publictransportation.org.

Want to save money & make better use of your time by carpooling or vanpooling-
but don't know anyone to share the commute with?
We may be able to help! Join the regional rideshare database by following the link on the Commuter page of our website, www.newnorthalliance.org,  or by calling 813-974-9799 to speak with a New North Transportation Alliance representative.