|
Pedestrian Safety Programs
Walk Your Child to School Day
Each year, Safe Kids
Central Ohio and the Columbus Area Pedestrian Safety Committee partner to
conduct Walk Your Child to School Day.
This one day international event is an opportunity to raise awareness about
pedestrian safety. By inviting community members to participate in the event,
we are able to keep pedestrian safety a priority issue with government
officials.
As local dignitaries and volunteers walk with their student(s), they are able
to observe, first hand, what children face each day as they walk to and from
school. Walkers are then encouraged to complete a Walkability Checklist that
will provide insight on issues that can be fixed. Once the checklists have been compiled, we
work with the city’s Department of Transportation to determine possible
solutions. To date we have gotten new
pedestrian signage, school flashers, and crosswalks painted around area
schools. Although we only focus on one
school each year, we have raised awareness and made positive changes to the
environment.
The Pedestrian Safety Task Force, including members of Franklin County Safe
Communities, City of Columbus,
Department of Public Service, Healthy Places and other community
organizations, for the second year, has received a $10,000 grant from Safe
Kids Worldwide to make environmental modifications to improve areas for
pedestrians, especially children. Focusing on the Franklinton Area in 2008,
radar speed signs were installed in the school zone on Sullivant Avenue near
Dana Elementary School. These radar speed signs let the driver know how fast
he is going through the school zone when the lights are flashing. The data is
also being collected for evaluation by the City of Columbus. These
improvements will create a “pedestrian awareness zone” for
drivers in that corridor. We are working to slow drivers down and guide
pedestrians to safe crossing locations.
Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School is a nationally
endorsed process to improve walking and bicycle safety in neighborhoods,
especially around schools. The program is promoted and funded through the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ohio Department of Public
Safety, Franklin County Safe Communities, and the Columbus Area Pedestrian
Safety Committee (CAPS).
|
|
Phone: 614-645-6138