October is designated as National Pedestrian Safety Month, a pivotal initiative focused on enhancing awareness regarding the importance of pedestrian safety. According to reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “in 2022, there were 7,522 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in the United States. That is 21 pedestrians a day and 145 pedestrians a week.” At some point in our journey, we are all pedestrians, and it is vital to recognize our department’s efforts to always focus on fostering a caution culture among drivers and pedestrians. We make significant strides to do so every day, but in October, we advocate more in honor of National Pedestrian Safety Month.
Vision Zero:
Our Vision Zero initiative seeks to significantly reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities by emphasizing safe walking and driving practices. In December, our newly hired Vision Zero Coordinator, Lauren Grove, started her journey to identify what “safe streets” can look like in Durham. She is on the road to developing Durham’s first Vision Zero Action Plan and has spent the summer months engaging with the community at various events to learn how they define “safe streets.” Our collaborative approach invites community engagement, encouraging individuals to take proactive measures to ensure safer environments for all road users and promote a shared responsibility for safety on our streets. Lauren is hosting a public open house on October 1 from 4:30-6:30 at the Durham Armory. Join the event to share your thoughts on what areas can be prioritized for the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Pedestrian Improvements Across the City:
This year our Sign and Signal Shop has made numerous improvements to enhance visibility and improve the safety of pedestrians by marking crosswalks, updating pedestrian signals, installing protected barriers, and implementing traffic calming measures by reducing speed limits and implementing speed humps.
Speed Hump Installed on South Street, Protected Bump Outs Installed on Hillside and Fargo Ave
Public Engagement and Resurfacing Projects:
Our Department’s Engineering and Planning divisions led public engagement meetings to solicit community feedback on our roadway resurfacing projects. Resurfacing allows our City unique opportunities to increase sidewalks and provide protected biking and walking paths along low-speed roadways.
We are all pedestrians. While celebrating the privilege of walking, let’s be safe drivers and walkers. Drivers always yield to pedestrians, slow down, and prepare to stop when entering a crosswalk area. Pedestrians follow the rules of the road and look in every direction for vehicles or bikes when crossing the street. Everyone has the right to walk and roll, and the City’s Transportation will continue working to improve our infrastructure daily. We are excited to welcome the new projects, staff members, and opportunities to continue increasing walkability and safety for all. Join us for our events and opportunities to share your thoughts on ways to make our Durham streets safer for all to enjoy.