Projects to Improve Walkability

At our July 22nd membership meeting, board chair Craig Moody facilitated a brainstorming session aimed at answering the following question:

What projects can Mode Shift complete (or encourage the completion of) that would support, encourage, and/or directly result in improved walkabilty?

Our focus was primarily on projects that 1) could be completed in the near term and 2) we could own and complete. Here’s the list that was generated that night:

1. Create a campaign to build the idea that walking is cool
2. Connect the dots of districts & create interest along those walks (e.g. little free libraries, parklets)
3. Develop walking maps (similar to recently released bike maps)
4. Create a “walk friendly business” campaign similar to the bike friendly business version
5. Promote walkability through neighborhood associations
6. Improve walking transitions to bus stops by including bus route maps
7. Work with Hy-Vee to expand their fuel-saver program to include discounts on bus passes
8. Conduct an educational campaign aimed at ensuring people know how to interact with active transportation infrastructure such as bike lanes and cross walks
9. Start a “If you see something, say something” campaign wherein ModeShift collects images and anecdotes related to walkability infrastructure and situations and shares that information with relevant parties (e.g. City of Omaha)
10. Stencil paint “more bike lanes, please” or “I walked here”
11. Use temporary green paint to identify active transportation infrastructure
12. Add signage at crosswalks that tells drivers it’s the law that they must stop for pedestrians
13. Advocate for 20 mph speed limit
14. Start a Vision Zero program similar to that in NYC
15. Advocate for more one-way to two-way street conversions (a la the Blackstone District)
16. Advocate for pedestrian head starts at intersections with traffic lights & walk signals
17. Advocate for the replacement of a stop light with a 4-way stop (e.g. Dundee)
18. Plant trees along treeless corridors (e.g. Leavenworth, N. 20th St., Florence Blvd)

We really hope to take one of these and run with it soon, so let us know if anything resonates. Build on an idea. Share a new thought. Tell us what you think.