Getting kids and adults walking and biking to school is both a design and a cultural issue. As architects we have a role to play in the design part. As parents and citizens, we can do something about the cultural part, through advocacy and by modeling the behavior we want to see: by walking and riding whenever we can to school, the library, work, errands and play. The cultural is changing. People want to be able to do this. I think that architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, traffic consultants, and planners don't need to "educate" the public as much as they need to catch up with the public and design with pedestrian and bike traffic and parking given consideration equal to motor vehicle traffic beginning at the earliest concept design sketches.
Speed kills. "The speed of a vehicle is a major determinant in the severity of a crash. According to one study (and several other studies have found similar results), a pedestrian hit at 40 miles per hour has an 85 percent chance of fatality, while a pedestrian hit at 20 miles per hour has only a 5 percent chance of fatality".
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/pssp/background/psafety.cfm Speed limits can be enforced. Jurisdictions around here are using automated speed camera enforcement in school zones. Seattle is using the fines to make street and sidewalk safety improvements around the schools. Streets can be re-designed to reduce speeds improve sight lines, and increase pedestrian and bike safety while maintaining bus, truck and emergency vehicle access. Lots of resources are available. Here is a general one:
http://www.k12.wa.us/transportation/pubdocs/WalkRoutes.pdf'
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Donald Brubeck AIA
Associate
Bassetti Architects
Seattle WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-20-2013 11:24
From: Roger Retzlaff
Subject: School Design - Getting Kids Walking and Bicycling Again
This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Regional and Urban Design Committee and Committee on Architecture for Education .
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I saw this article on a transportation blog I read, http://streetsblog.net/2013/09/19/seattle-reconsiders-school-design-to-get-kids-walking-again/, and wondered how much of a concern active living design is in siting and programming of new schools. Are districts looking for ways to develop and redevelop schools to promote walking and bicycling as means for kids to get to school? What sort of work do you do to develop school programs with Safe Routes to School thinking?
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Roger Retzlaff AIA
Green Bay WI
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