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WALK Friendly Ontario Application Guide

July, 2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Green Communities Canada (GCC) gratefully acknowledges the funding support from the

Government of Ontario for the development and pilot phases of the WALK Friendly Ontario

designation. The Canada Walks division of GCC provided leadership for this initiative and will

continue to do so as the program is implemented.

We are also indebted to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (University of North

Carolina, Highway Safety Research Center) for allowing us to use their Walk Friendly

Communities application as a model for the WALK Friendly Ontario assessment tool.

We thank the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, which provided advice and lessons learned

through the Bike Friendly Communities awards program in Ontario.

Finally, we offer special thanks to Canada Walks team members, Mandy Johnson, whose

contribution to the development of WALK Friendly Ontario was invaluable, and Jacky Kennedy

both of whom are tireless advocates for the cause of walking and walkable communities in this

country.

- Kate Hall, Program Manager, WALK Friendly Ontario, May 2013

CONTRIBUTORS

The following people contributed time and expertise to the development of the WALK Friendly

Ontario assessment tool:

Carl Sundstrom – (P.Eng.), Engineering Research Associate, UNC Highway Safety

Research Centre

Robert Dolezel – Team Leader, Sustainable Transportation Policy, Ontario Ministry of

Transportation

Sharon Lewinson – (P.Eng.), President, Association for Commuter Transportation Canada

Dave McLaughlin – (MES, MCIP, RPP), Senior Project Manager, Transportation Planning,

MMM Group

Eleanor McMahon – Founder and CEO, Share the Road Cycling Coalition

Paul Young – (OALA, CSLA), Consultant, PublicSpaceWorkshop

Kim Bergeron – (Ph.D.), Consultant and Chair of Planning Active Communities Across

Ontario

Jennifer Lay – Program Advisor - School Travel Policy, Planning, and Innovation,

Metrolinx

Bronwen Thornton – Development Director, Walk21 (UK)

Clifford Maynes – Executive Director, Green Communities Canada

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Contributors continued

Karen Armstrong – (B.A., M.A.), inMotion Coordinator, Wellington Dufferin Guelph

Public Health

Larissa Kaminskyj – (M.A.), Health Promoter, Brant County Health Unit

Micheline Turnau – Community Mission Specialist, Champlain District, Heart and Stroke

Foundation of Ontario

Joanne Banfield – (RN, B.A.), Manager, Sunnybrook RBC First Office for Injury Prevention

In 2012, the WALK Friendly Ontario assessment tool was pilot tested by five communities:

Hamilton, London, Thunder Bay, Kingston, and Fort Erie. A number of staff from a variety of

municipal departments, as well as community partners in each municipality, contributed time

and feedback to Canada Walks so that improvements to the tool could be made. We are

sincerely grateful for their involvement.

HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT

The Application Guide should be used as a guide to plan and prepare for a WALK Friendly Ontario

designation application. The Guide should be shared with all parties that will be collaborating and

contributing to the application. We recommend that applicants review the Guide in its entirety

before beginning the online application process. Only applications submitted through our online

process will be considered. For more information, go to our website www.walkfriendly.ca.

*This Application Guide and the questions herein are the property of Green Communities

Canada, all rights reserved.

http://www.walkfriendly.ca/

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction pg. 5

2.0 The WALK Friendly Ontario Program pg. 6

2.1 Instructions for completing the assessment pg. 7

3.0 The WALK Friendly Ontario assessment tool pg. 11

3.1 Community Information pg. 11

3.2 Planning pg. 18

3.3 Engineering & Community Design pg. 40

3.4 Education & Encouragement pg. 66

3.5 Enforcement pg. 74

3.6 Evaluation pg. 77

3.7 Summary pg. 81

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on taking steps toward a WALK Friendly Ontario! We look forward to reviewing

your application for designation as a WALK Friendly Community and learning about your

achievements in creating safe, convenient, and enjoyable spaces and places for people to walk.

Why are walk friendly communities so important?

Walking is the first thing that a child wants to do and the last thing that an older person wants

to give up. It is the most natural form of transportation and enables us to be independently

mobile. Not so long ago, walking was our primary means of transportation. This was possible

because we built our cities and towns at a human scale. However, the invention – or rather

intervention – of the automobile changed the way that we design and plan our physical

environment, and we are only beginning to understand the repercussions of a car-centric

world.

Creating walk friendly communities and encouraging walking helps to improve health

outcomes, revitalize local economies, foster social connections, and establish safer, more

sustainable cities and towns. One of the best things about walking is that you don’t need any

fancy or high-priced equipment to do it. You just put on a comfortable pair of shoes, open your

door and enjoy the trip.

Rates of obesity are rising1, and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and

hypertension are a leading cause of death and disability2. At the same time, physical activity

levels of Canadians are at an all-time low; 91% of Canadian children and youth, and 51% of

Canadian adults are not getting the recommended levels of daily physical activity3.

On the positive side, a growing body of evidence suggests that walk friendly environments

encourage people to walk, and that people want to live in communities where they can easily

walk to every-day destinations such as shops, work, school, and public transit. Indeed, current

research shows there is an untapped demand for walk friendly communities, especially within

the baby boom and millennial demographic groups4. Click here for more information about

making the case for walking.

1 Statistics Canada, (2010), Canadian Community Health Survey.

2 Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (2007), Preventing and Managing Chronic Disease: Ontario’s Framework. 3 Heart and Stroke Foundation, (2011).

4 Leinberger, C. (2012).

http://walkfriendly.ca/sample-page/why-wf-communities-are-important/

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2.0 THE WALK FRIENDLY ONTARIO DESIGNATION

WALK Friendly Ontario Assessment Tool

WALK Friendly Ontario is a recognition program that encourages and helps guide municipalities

in creating improved spaces and places to walk. To participate, municipalities complete an

application that assesses progress on a range of factors including: planning, policies,

engineering and community design, education and encouragement, enforcement, and

evaluation. The range of questions in the assessment reflects the variety of factors that affect a

community’s walk friendliness.

What’s in it for you?

There are several benefits to municipalities to applying for the designation:

The WALK Friendly Ontario (WFO) Application Guide and website contain information

and resources to assist you in continuously improving walking conditions for your

community.

Through the application process, communities will identify areas that need

improvement and resources to develop specific solutions.

Completing this application will strengthen collaboration on walkability between

government departments, external agencies, not-for-profits, and other community

partners.

The completed application will be a great internal planning resource for municipalities

that documents all walking-related programs, projects, and policies in one place. It will

benchmark your accomplishments to date as a standard for measuring future progress.

And here’s a bonus - most communities will be surprised by the amount they are

already doing to improve the conditions for walking, which in turn will encourage

further action.

Finally, submitting the assessment to Canada Walks can result in an honourable mention or

bronze, silver, gold, or platinum designation that recognizes your efforts to create a walk

friendly community. This designation will help promote walkability in your community and

foster friendly competition with other cities and towns. It can also be used as part of your

attraction and retention strategy with residents, businesses, visitors, and tourists.

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2.1 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE ASSESSMENT

Completing the WFO Assessment

It takes a community to be walk friendly. Most of the information requested for completion of

this assessment tool can be soundly estimated or is relatively easy to find, and will likely come

from a variety of sources including:

Planning

Public Health

Public works

Engineering departments

Transit service provider(s)

Parks and Recreation/Community Services

Committees of Council

Police departments

Local nonprofit organizations

Advocacy groups

Elected officials

Since municipalities are responsible for planning and infrastructure in the public realm, staff

from multiple municipal departments will need to be involved. Therefore, it will be important

to coordinate across departments when filling out this application. In some cases one

department will be able to complete an entire section. In other cases, it will make the most

sense to have agencies or individuals, such as a local School Travel Planning coordinator, Public

Health professionals, or members of a citizens group answer certain questions. Collaboration

with community partners in completing the application is encouraged.

Who should submit the application?

The award designation will be given to the municipality, therefore municipal staff will likely take

the lead on the application. Community agencies (e.g., external public health agencies),

committees (e.g., the Active Transportation Committee of Council) or non-governmental

organizations (e.g., a local advocacy group) may also take the lead. However, Canada Walks

requires that community agencies and groups that wish to initiate the process seek approval

and support in writing from their local government via resolution of Council, or from the

CAO/General Manager or another senior staff member with the authority to commit the

required staff time across municipal departments. The letter of support should be forwarded

via email to [email protected] as you begin the application process.

mailto:[email protected]

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How to answer the questions

There are several different types of questions included in this assessment tool. We have

described them here to clarify how each one should be answered.

Descriptions and Summaries. Some questions in the assessment ask about your municipality’s

plans, policies, projects, and programs. In those cases, please include a link (web address) to

those documents, or attach a copy. If a concise summary already exists, you may use that

description. Include in your summary a description of the nature, scope, and results of the

policy, program, or project in question.

Check all that Apply. The checklists are meant to make it easy for you to indicate all that you are

doing in a certain topic area. When you check “other”, you have the option of elaborating on

anything you are doing that may not have been addressed in the list offered.

Yes, No, N/A and Checkboxes. Some questions require simple yes, no, N/A or checkbox

responses. In those cases, please check the appropriate box and include a URL address or

attachment to the most up-to-date version of any requested policy, plan, or relevant

document.

NOTE: If the question requests a brief description, please summarize the policy, activity, or

process in your own words. Ensure that you use this opportunity to give a concise, yet

detailed account.

Please answer the questions in the application as completely as you can. The judges cannot

award additional points for information that isn’t provided.

What we’re looking for

When answering the questions please think broadly. Do any provincial or national programs

(not directly implemented by you) have a positive impact in your community? Are there policies

administered by other local departments that may affect the walking environment? Are there

private organizations or advocacy groups doing work in your community?

When completing the application please be certain to mention any evidence-based programs or

approaches your community is using, any in-depth or ongoing programs or activities, and any

specific efforts to create a community-wide culture of walking. This assessment tool seeks to

learn how communities are supporting safe, convenient, and enjoyable walking, and how well

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those efforts are working. Therefore, please describe both the nature of your policies,

programs, and projects, as well as any outcome or evaluation of those approaches.

Though this assessment tool is meant to be comprehensive, we recognize that each community

is unique. Every city and town will have its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, so

each will have a different approach to walking and related issues.

The assessment is long and we anticipate that it will take 20-30 person hours to complete. If

you get stuck on a particular question, move onto the next one and come back to it later. The

important thing is to record the information that you have close at hand and this in itself will

indicate to you where your gaps in information are.

Scoring process and designation

This assessment tool is divided into seven sections:

Community Information

Planning

Engineering & Community Design

Education & Encouragement

Enforcement

Evaluation

Summary

Scoring is based on the potential impact on walkability of the content addressed in each

question. Points will be awarded based on a combination of standardized scoring for fixed-

option questions and a sliding scale based on the judgment of our panel of expert reviewers.

Additional points may be awarded for responses to descriptive questions, e.g., “If yes, please

describe” and “If other, please describe”.

Some questions may be worth more than others. For example, plans provide a community with

a vision and guide for action; policies express values and leadership; and infrastructure and

design is where plans and policies are reflected on the ground, providing for safe places to walk.

Designations and honourable mentions will be awarded based on the overall score as well as

consensus among reviewers. Achieving true community walkability is a long process that

requires commitment to improvement in all areas that are being assessed. Each level of

designation will reflect the accomplishments of your community. It will be a challenge to other

communities to follow in your footsteps, and a challenge to your own community to continue

along the path to becoming even more walk friendly.

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3.0 WALK FRIENDLY ONTARIO ASSESSMENT

Section three provides a brief explanation for each section in the WFO application, all of the

questions found in the online application as well as rationales for questions and resources

for educational purposes. We strongly recommend that you review this section of the

Application Guide in its entirety before beginning your online application.

3.1 COMMUNITY INFORMATION

This section is intended to provide applicants with a chance to describe their communities.

Having an understanding of the geographic, demographic, and economic make-up of the

community can help explain the challenges and opportunities that the community faces

when planning for walking.

1. Community Seeking Designation

a) Name of city/town seeking designation:

b) Name of top elected official (include title):

c) Email:

d) Mailing address:

e) Website:

2. Applicant Profile

a) Name of lead applicant (e.g., Municipality, City, organization, etc.):

b) Name of contact:

c) Position:

d) Telephone number:

e) Email address:

f) Mailing address:

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3. Community Profile

Please use the most recent Census data from Statistics Canada to answer the following

questions.

a) Population:

b) Land Area (square km):

c) Population Density (persons per square km):

d) Publicly owned park land (square km):

e) Median Age:

f) Median Income:

g) In terms of geography, estimate the percentage of your community that is urban, suburban,

and rural.

______________________________________________________________________________

4. Key Staff

a) How many full-time and part-time municipal employees do you have?

b) Does your municipality have an Active Transportation (AT) Coordinator?

Yes No

c) Does your municipality have a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Manager?

Yes No

If neither applies, go to question 5.

d) Which department does your AT Coordinator work in?

Engineering/public works

Planning

Transportation

Environment

Recreation

Other

If other, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

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Please provide their name and email address.

______________________________________________________________________________

e) Approximately what percentage of the AT Coordinator’s time is spent on walking and related

issues?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

f) Which department does your TDM Coordinator work in?

Engineering/public works

Planning

Transportation

Recreation

Environment

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

Please provide their name and email address.

______________________________________________________________________________

g) Approximately what percentage of the TDM Manager’s time is spent on walking and related

issues?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

5. If you answered no to question 4 b) and c), please provide the name, position, and email

address of the staff person(s) primarily responsible for walking and related issues within your

municipality.

______________________________________________________________________________

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6. Approximately how many local government employees have some responsibility for walking

and related issues? E.g., it is part of their job description.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Other


______________________________________________________________________________

7. Key Contributors

Does your municipality have a committee of council that deals with walking and related issues?

E.g., Walkability Advisory Group or Active Transportation Committee.

Yes No Other

If no, go to question 8.

If yes, how often does it meet?

Monthly

Bi-monthly

Quarterly

Annually

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

b) Tell us about the committee, e.g., name, number of members, how long it’s been operating,

mandate, etc.

______________________________________________________________________________

Which of the following interests are represented on the committee? Check all that apply.

Citizens

Walking group/club

Law Enforcement

Chamber of Commerce

Council

Public Health

Planning Department

Transportation Department

School Board

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Parks and Recreation Department

Transit Agency

Business Improvement Association (BIA)

Other


_____________________________________________________________________________

Please provide the name and contact information for the Committee Chair (this person may be

contacted in relation to this application).

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. Please tell us about any other committees of council that are working on walking and related

issues.

______________________________________________________________________________

9. Is there a community group specifically advocating for walking or active transportation

issues?

Yes No


a) If yes, how many groups are there?

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Please provide the name and contact information for the Chair of the primary group (this

person may be contacted in relation to this application).

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Does this group have paid staff?

Full-time

Part-time

Contract – project by project

N/A

d) What is the municipality’s relationship with this group?

Formal – contract with this group for services or programs

Informal – partner on projects; provide in-kind support

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Other e) If other, please describe. ______________________________________________________________________________

10. Please list the names of all the municipal departments, organizations, and community

partners that have collaborated on this application.

______________________________________________________________________________

11. Tell us your story

Please provide a brief overview of the initiatives that your municipality has undertaken to

support walking in your city/town. What are you most proud of having achieved for people

walking in your community and why? What has been your most significant investment in

walking in the past year? (400 word limit)

____________________________________________________________________________

12. What are the three aspects of your community most in need of improvement in order to

better accommodate walkers of all ages and abilities? (200 word limit)

1.

______________________________________________________________________________

2.

_____________________________________________________________________________

3.

______________________________________________________________________________

13. On a scale of 1-5, where 1 = most important and 5 = least important, please rank the

following reasons your community has invested in walking.

a) Improved quality of life 1 2 3 4 5

b) Increased safety 1 2 3 4 5

c) Improved health 1 2 3 4 5

d) Improved community connectivity 1 2 3 4 5

e) Provide transportation options 1 2 3 4 5

f) Concerns about climate change 1 2 3 4 5

g) Decreased traffic congestion 1 2 3 4 5

h) Increased tourism 1 2 3 4 5

i) Increased property values 1 2 3 4 5

j) Economic development 1 2 3 4 5

k) Public demand 1 2 3 4 5

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l) Other – please describe. ________________________________________________________

14. Has your Mayor/Reeve signed the International Charter for Walking, an active/healthy

community charter, or a similar pledge to improve the conditions for walking in your

community? Yes No

If yes, please provide details, e.g., date, resolution of Council, media coverage, etc.

______________________________________________________________________________

Status of Walking

This section seeks to learn how much people are walking and how safe it is to walk.

Therefore, the outcomes that are most significant here are the overall numbers of walkers

and the frequency of collisions between walkers and motor vehicles. WALK Friendly

Ontario is looking for communities that have/are creating environments in which many

people can safely walk to everyday places.

15. According to Statistics Canada, what percent of residents in your community walk to work?

Please provide percentages for journey to work data for the last three Census/National

Household Survey results beginning with the most recent. E.g., 2011 – 4%, 2006 – 3.2% etc.

______________________________________________________________________________

16. Please provide any other data that your community has collected regarding active travel,

including a brief description of the data collection methods, frequency, and results. (200-word

limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

17. What trends in the number of walkers have you observed in your community? (100-word

limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

18. How many collisions between walkers and motor vehicles were reported in your community

in each of the last five years that you have data for? Please include number of collisions,

number of injuries, and number of fatalities to walkers as a result of collisions.

YEAR

# of collisions between walkers

and motor vehicles

# of injuries to walkers as a

http://www.walk21.com/charter/default.asp

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result of collisions

# of walkers killed as a result of

collisions

19. What trends in collisions between walkers and motor vehicles have you observed in your

community?

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Community Information Database (available in French)

Population, employment, education, and income indicators for all Canadian communities

Mode share of walking for the commute - Canadian Census 2006

Data on percentage of population that walks to work, by census municipal area

Online TDM Encyclopedia - Measuring Non-Motorized Transport Section (Victoria Transport Policy

Institute)

Describes techniques of measuring and evaluation non-motorized travel, including walking

Online TDM Encylopedia - Data Collection and Surveys Section (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

The Data Collection and Surveys section of the Online TDM Encylopedia has a wealth of

information on the measurement and evaluation of transportation demand management

programs, including walking

Transportation for Tomorrow Survey of the GTHA

Detailed travel data for the Greater Golden Horseshoe area of Ontario collected by the

University of Toronto in 2006, includes active travel modes

Collected every 5 years

Stepping it Up School Travel Household Attitudinal Survey:

Harris/Decima Inc conducted 1,016 telephone interviews in the spring of 2011 for Metrolinx to

gather data on how elementary students travel to and from school

3.2 PLANNING

Planning for walking happens at many different levels, ranging from master plans,

community improvement plans, and official plans to regional and provincial plans and

policies. A comprehensive plan for walking addresses all five Es. Engaging citizens in

identifying issues and creating a vision for a walk friendly community is vital to the

planning process. With thorough and on-going planning, as well as a supportive policy

http://www.cid-bdc.ca/welcome-bienvenue

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?TABID=1&LANG=E&A=R&APATH=3&DETAIL=0&DIM=2&FL=A&FREE=0&GC=01&GID=837928&GK=1&GRP=1&O=D&PID=90657&PRID=0&PTYPE=88971,97154&S=0&SHOWALL=0&SUB=0&Temporal=2006&THEME=76&VID=13989&VNAMEE=&VNAMEF=&D1=0&D2=0&D3=0&D4=0&D5=0&D6=0

http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm63.htm#_Toc272910897


http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm40.htm

http://www.dmg.utoronto.ca/reports/ttsreports.html

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/steppingitup/stepping_it_up_project_resources.aspx

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environment, a community can become proactive rather than reactive in addressing issues

such as accessibility, safety, connectivity, and attractiveness.

Community Engagement

Rationale: Citizen participation is a critical component of any local government and public

input should be included in planning and decision making processes. Including walkers in

the planning-review process can help secure citizen support for projects and help a

municipality identify safety concerns that it may not have been aware of. Community

engagement is integral to the success of transportation planning and should be considered

at every stage of the planning process, from collecting baseline data to conducting post-

implementation evaluation.

20. Briefly describe the role that advisory committees of council play in the process of reviewing

ongoing projects of the municipality and applications for development as they relate to walking.

(200 word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

21. Provide information and any relevant links or attachments that indicate the formal and

informal community engagement and advocacy efforts in your community to support walking.

______________________________________________________________________________

22. Do you have a mechanism to ensure that vulnerable populations such as individuals with

disabilities, low income individuals, children, and seniors are included in the planning process?

Yes No

If yes, please describe. (100-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

23. Briefly describe any efforts that your community has made to collectively identify and

overcome barriers to creating a more walk friendly environment. (200-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

The Walkability Tool Kit (Canada Walks) A comprehensive Ontario-focused resource to aid in creating a walkability task force/community group.

Explains how to create meaningful action to improve community walkability.

School Travel Planning Toolkit (Canada Walks) - available in English and French A comprehensive toolkit for implementing school travel planning in your community

http://www.canadawalks.ca/project_walkon.asp

http://saferoutestoschool.ca/school-travel-planning-toolkit

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iCAN Walk Checklist (Canada Walks) - available in English and French

Healthy Community Design: Policy Statements for Official Plans The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, with help from stakeholders and professional planners

put together this resource with health-related policies for Official Plans, required of all municipalities in Ontario. Many of these policy recommendations address the provision of walk friendly environments. Municipalities are free to use the concepts within this document and adapt, amend or revise the wording to suit their particular needs and circumstances.

Shaping Healthy Active Communities Toolkit (Heart & Stroke Foundation) - available in English and French

A toolkit that promotes community engagement with a broad focus on healthy design of the

built environment

Citizen's Guide to the Planning Act

This Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website provides a basic overview to how

land use planning happens in Ontario

Advocacy Steps for Making Our Communities More Walkable (Walk Boston)

A simple two page brochure that is a quick-guide to effective community involvement in

creating walk friendly environments

Public Participation Tools (Walk Boston)

Walk Boston outlines and explains the results of using some creative means of reaching out to

people who do not usually get engaged in planning of their communities

Plans for Walking

Rationale: Plans provide a vision for how the built environment can support walking in a

community and a guide for action. Plans that are developed through engagement with

citizens, agencies, and organizations that have a stake in the outcome have a greater chance

of being implemented. Having a plan with concrete actions that specifically address the

needs and interests of walkers shows a high level of commitment to improving the walking

environment.

24. Has your municipality adopted a Master Plan for Walking, Pedestrian Mobility Plan, Active

Transportation Plan, or other plan that specifically addresses the needs and interests of

walkers?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide the name of the plan, a brief description of its scope, and a link.

______________________________________________

http://icanwalk.ca/

http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/JFY/OurCommunity/healthyplaces/Healthydesign.aspx

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.5847487/k.D0F7/Healthy_Living__Shaping_healthy_active_communities_toolkit.htm

http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page1760.aspx

http://www.walkboston.org/sites/default/files/walkComm.pdf

http://www.walkboston.org/sites/default/files/WalkBoston%20Participation%20Tool%20Brochures.pdf

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25. Please indicate when the plan was adopted:

Within the last 2 years

Between 2-5 years ago

More than 5 years ago

26. How was it adopted?

Inclusion in/addendum to the Official Plan

Council resolution

Internal policy

Other

a) If other, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

27. Has the plan been updated since it was adopted? Yes No

If yes, what year? ________________

28. Does the plan include an inventory of the sidewalk network Yes No

If yes, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

29. Does the plan prioritize the construction and maintenance of sidewalks in locations where

there are higher numbers of vulnerable populations, e.g., children and seniors?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

30. Does the plan establish a target mode share for walking? Yes No

If yes, what is the target mode share for walking?

______________________________________________________________________________

31. Does the plan have a safety goal, such as the reduction in collisions between walkers and

motor vehicles?

Yes No

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______________________________________________________________________________

32. Please describe any other benchmarks or performance indicators used to monitor success

of the plan.

______________________________________________________________________________

33. What conditions are in place to ensure implementation of the plan? Check all that apply.

Dedicated staff time

Dedicated annual budget

Staff Training

Partnerships

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

34. What procedures does your municipality use to monitor implementation of the plan? Check

all that apply.

Monthly staff progress reports

Monitored and reported on monthly by advisory committee of council

Annual report by staff or advisory committee of council

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

35. What percentage of the plan has been implemented?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

a) Briefly describe the key elements of the plan that have been completed to date. (200-word

limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

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36. Are you meeting your annual targets for implementation?

Yes No

37. Do you have a Transportation Demand Management Plan/Strategy?

______________________________________________________________________________






39. How was the plan adopted?

Inclusion in/addendum to the Official Plan

Council resolution

Internal policy

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

40. Has the plan been updated since it was adopted? Yes No

a) If yes, what year? _____________________________________________________________

41. Please describe the plan/strategy for getting people to shift from other modes of

transportation to walking.

_____________________________________________________________________________

42. What conditions are in place to ensure implementation of the plan? Check all that apply.

Dedicated staff time

Dedicated annual budget

Staff Training

Partnerships

Other

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______________________________________________________________________________

43. What procedures does your municipality use to monitor implementation of the plan? Check

all that apply.

Monthly staff progress reports

Monitored and reported on monthly by advisory committee of council

Annual report by staff or advisory committee of council

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

44. What percentage of the plan has been implemented?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

a) Briefly describe the key elements of the plan that have been completed to date. (200-word

limit)

______________________________________________________________________________


Yes No

46. Please identify the key policies in your Official Plan (OP) that support a safe, convenient, and

enjoyable walking environment and provide a link to your OP. (400-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

a) Please describe any other municipal plans, e.g., Strategic Plan, Sustainability Plan, Cultural

Plan, etc., that incorporate walkability or express a value for walking as a guiding principle.

Provide links if applicable.

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Please describe any policies that your municipality has to protect and support the

downtown, e.g., employment lands, retail strategies, etc.

25

47. What municipal staff/departments are involved in the review of development applications

using a walk friendly lens?

______________________________________________________________________________

School Travel Planning

48. How many schools in your municipality have worked with local stakeholders to develop a

School Travel Plan?

______________________________________________________________________________

If not applicable, got to question 52.

a) Please list the names of the schools here:

______________________________________________________________________________

49. Please provide the names, titles, and organization, or department for the School Travel

Planning/Safe Routes to School contact person(s) in your community.

Name and Title: ________________________________________________________________

Organization/Department: ________________________________________________________

50. Please explain how STP and staff resources are funded.

______________________________________________________________________________

51. Please describe your STP initiatives including the community stakeholder organizations that

participate, how long you have been doing STP, and any plans you have to engage additional

schools.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Active Transportation – Making it Work in Canadian Communities (Transportation Association of

Canada)

This link is to a brief primer of the comprehensive manual, which is available for purchase from

the Transportation Association of Canada. Based on experiences from across Canada, it

identifies a set of 11 principles to guide practitioners and their communities in responding the

diverse challenges to improving active transportation in Canada. The comprehensive “how to”

manual is an excellent resource, containing case studies from across the country is available for

purchase from the TAC Bookstore: http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/bookstore/titles.cfm $$$

Available in French.

Planning by Design: A Healthy Communities Handbook (Ontario Professional Planners Institute)

http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/pdf/primers/active-transp.pdf

http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/bookstore/titles.cfm

http://www.ontarioplanners.on.ca/pdf/healthy_communities_handbook.pdf

26

A handbook for municipal staff to share and generate ideas about how healthy and active

communities can be designed, with Ontario best practices provided.

Healthy Communities and Planning for Active Transportation

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute call to action paper

Healthy Communities Practice Guide (Canadian Institute of Planners)

Comprehensive "How To" Guide for planning health communities at the national level

The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure)

Policies to guide development in Ontario's "Greater Golden Horseshoe" region in order to create

complete communities that offer more options for living, working, learning, shopping and

playing while reducing traffic gridlock by providing more sustainable transportation options.

Active Transportation in Canada: A Resource & Planning Guide (EcoPlan International for Transport

Canada)

A guide primarily for municipal and regional transportation planners in communities with

limited active transportation planning and implementation experience.

Child & Youth Friendly Land Use & Transport Planning Guidelines for Ontario (Gilbert & O'Brien)

A set of 21 planning guidelines specifically created to meet the transportation needs of children

(and everyone else) whose needs are so often overlooked.

Collingwood, ON - Urban Design Manual

This comprehensive Urban Design Manual provides guidance on designing high quality

environments that are of high quality, walk friendly, and interconnected.

A Review of Urban Sprawl & Public Health in Ontario (Ontario College of Family Physicians)

A summary of the issues related to urban sprawl and its growing impact on the health of

Ontarians.

Designing Healthy Communities Toolkit (Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit)

A toolkit including many tools for use by municipal leaders, planners and concerned

individuals who are interested in designing an active community where they live.

Glossary of Terms for Planners & Public Health Professionals (K. Bergeron, Queen’s University)

A glossary of terms to bridge the language gap between planners and public health

professionals, who when working collaboratively on healthy design, can have powerful results.

Social Equity Agenda for Sustainable Transportation (T. Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

New Urbanism - Section of the on-line TDM Encyclopedia (T. Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Sample Walking Plans & Strategies

Toronto Walking Strategy

Ottawa Pedestrian Strategy

http://www.ontarioplanners.on.ca/content/Publications/innovativepolicypapers.aspx

http://www.cip-icu.ca/web/la/en/fi/0008d10473bd4b7e805bb51650bc393a/get_file.asp

https://www.placestogrow.ca/content/ggh/plan-cons-english-all-web.pdf

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-guidelines-practitioners-atg-2671.htm

http://www.kidsonthemove.ca/Provinces/Ontario.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34545337/Collingwood-Urban-Design-Manual

http://www.ocfp.on.ca/docs/publications/urbansprawl.pdf

http://www.hkpr.on.ca/healthy-lifestyles-master.asp?id=3270

http://www.planningactivecommunities.com/

http://www.vtpi.org/equityagenda.pdf


http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/walking/walking_strategy.htm

http://ottawa.ca/en/roads_trans/walking/pedestrian/pedestrian_plan/index.html

27

Surrey, BC Walking Plan

District of North Vancouver

Chicago Pedestrian Plan (one of the best examples in the world!) Pedestrian Network Strategy (City of Hamilton)

Sidewalk Strategy (City of Edmonton)

Sample Active Transportation Plans

Town of Ajax

Town of Cornwall

Township of Minden Hills

Accessibility

Rationale: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2005 will make Ontario

accessible to all by 2021. This act requires public, private, and not-for-profit organizations

and businesses having more than one employee to comply with accessibility standards

being phased in from 2011 to 2021. It requires organizations to have an accessibility plan.

The improvements identified in public sector accessibility plans are to be implemented

over the course of several years, and the plans should be regularly updated so that

communities continue to ensure the accessibility of publicly maintained facilities.

Some techniques to ensure that individuals with disabilities are included in planning

processes include providing announcements to agencies serving individuals with

disabilities, holding meetings in accessible facilities, providing interpreters if requested,

ensuring that websites are accessible to people using screen reading or screen enlargement

software, and providing Braille or large-print documents on request.

Communities that are truly dedicated to creating safe, walkable places will plan

comprehensively for people of all ages and abilities. The status of a municipality’s

accessibility plan and the means by which it is funded can indicate how a community

prioritizes universal accessibility.

52. Has your municipality adopted an accessibility plan to meet legislated requirements

according to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005)?

Yes No




http://www.surrey.ca/files/Surrey_Walking_Plan_2011.pdf

http://www.dnv.org/upload/pcdocsdocuments/pjh01!.pdf

http://chicagopedestrianplan.org/pedestrian-plan/

http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/9F8321BA-CDE3-497F-AA28-09FEC2DA2E31/0/4PedestrianNetworkStrategy.pdf

http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/RoadsTraffic/COE_Sidewalk_Strategy_Summary_Rpt.pdf

http://www.ajax.ca/en/doingbusinessinajax/resources/AjaxPedestrianBicycleMasterPlanFinalReport.pdf

http://www.cornwall.ca/en/municipalworks/recources/Final%20Report%202010-07-07-web.pdf

http://www.mindenhills.ca/pdfs/at_plan_minden_july08.pdf

28



54. Has the accessibility plan been updated since it was adopted?

Yes No

If yes, what year? ________

55. Briefly describe the key elements of the accessibility plan that have been implemented and

provide a link to the plan.

______________________________________________________________________________

56. What percentage of the accessibility plan has been implemented?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%


Yes No

58. Are there policies and/or considerations regarding accessibility found in other municipal

plans?

Yes No

If yes, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Ontarians With Disabilities Act

AMCTO Resources in respect to the Accessible Built Environment Resources

City of Vancouver Pedestrian Accessibility (great example of a website with information on making the

city accessible for all)

Pedestrian Design for Accessibility within the Public Right-of-Way (U.S. Department of Transportation)

Aging in Place, Stuck Without Options: Fixing the Mobility Crisis Threatening the Baby Boom

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_05a11_e.htm

http://www.accessiblemunicipalities.ca/home.asp?itemid=13949

http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/pedestrian-accessibility.aspx

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/resources/fhwasa09027/resources/Intersection%20Safety%20Issue%20Brief%2011.pdf

http://t4america.org/docs/SeniorsMobilityCrisis.pdf

29

Generation (Transportation for America)

Complete Streets

Rationale: Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe and convenient

access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and

abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street. Complete Streets

policies and approaches indicate a municipality’s commitment to planning for all modes, all

ages, and all abilities.

59. Has your municipality adopted a Complete Streets policy?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of the policy and a link.

___________________________________________________________________________

60. Has your municipality adopted a Complete Streets approach? (E.g., The term 'Complete

Streets' is used in at least one official planning document but you have not adopted an official

policy.)

Yes No

If no to questions 59 and 60, go to question 63.

a) If yes, in what planning/policy documents is Complete Streets referenced? Check all that

apply.

Official Plan

Transportation Master Plan

Urban Design Guidelines

Other

b) If other, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

61. What challenges or barriers does your municipality face in taking a Complete Streets

approach? (100-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

30

62. If applicable, please describe how your Complete Streets approach or policy was recently

implemented through a road reconstruction project that resulted in improvements to

walkability. (200-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources Complete Streets by Design (Toronto Centre for Active Transportation) Complete Streets Gap Analysis: Barriers & Opportunities in Ontario The adoption of a Complete Streets policy requires planners and engineers to design

roadways to be safe and comfortable for users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, cyclists and transit users

This research represents the first known in Canada highlighting the opportunities and barriers for the adoption of Complete Streets policies. More specifically, the transportation section of the Official Plan (OP) for 17 of Ontario’s largest municipalities was analysed using the ten elements of a comprehensive Complete Streets policy developed by the National Complete Streets Coalition.

Complete Streets: Making Canada's Roads Safer for All (Transport Canada)

Sidewalks, Trails & Pathways

Rationale: Having safe and convenient walking infrastructure encourages people to walk

more. The Canadian Institute of Planner’s Healthy Communities Planning Guide states that

walk friendly neighbourhoods are associated with more active travel behaviour, and

pedestrian-friendly streetscapes encourage physical activity. Requiring developers to build

sidewalks in conjunction with new construction is an effective and efficient way to create a

comprehensive sidewalk network. A stringently enforced sidewalk construction policy can

help municipalities fill in gaps in their sidewalk system and prevent gaps from occurring in

the future. Constructing sidewalks along with other development can also be less expensive

than retrofitting the right-of-way.

63. Does your municipality have a policy requiring sidewalks on both sides of arterial roads?

Yes No N/A

64. Does your municipality have a policy requiring sidewalks on both sides of collector roads?

Yes No N/A

65. Does your municipality have a policy requiring sidewalks on both sides of

residential/neighbourhood streets?

Yes No

http://www.completestreetsforcanada.ca/complete-streets-design

http://tcat.ca/gapanalysis

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudy-cs72e-completestreets-812.htm

31

66. Has your municipality adopted Regulation 239 in the Municipal Act regarding Minimum

Maintenance Standards for Sidewalks in Ontario?

Yes

No

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

67. Does your Official Plan require sidewalks in all new residential developments?

Yes No

a) If yes, are they required through:

Zoning regulations

Other

b) If other, please describe. _______________________________________________________

68. Does your Official Plan require connections to sidewalks in all new commercial

developments?

Yes No

a) If yes, are they required through:

Zoning regulations

Other


69. Please estimate the frequency in which sidewalk policies are actually implemented in new

residential or commercial developments.

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100

32

a) Please describe any barriers that your community faces to implementing sidewalk policies.

______________________________________________________________________________

70. Does your municipality have a policy to clear sidewalks of snow?

Yes No

a) If yes, what streets are included in the policy? Check all that apply.

Streets in the downtown core

Streets with senior’s housing

Streets with schools

All arterials

All collectors

All neighbourhood streets

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

71. What other plans or policies does your municipality have to ensure that the sidewalk

network is being developed?

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources Reclaiming the Sidewalk in City Design - Sustainable Cities Collective

Trails

Rationale: High-quality trail networks (including rail trails and greenways) can form the

backbone of many walkable communities – especially in small and rural areas. Not only do

they help complete non-motorized transportation networks, they also attract recreational

walkers. Well-designed trails can support economic development and tourism, encourage

physical activity, and even raise property values. Constructing trails and paths near

waterways or along utility corridors is a great way to use land that is unsuitable for

development to create pedestrian facilities.

72. Do you have a Trails Master Plan?

Yes No

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/sensiblestreets/135651/own-sidewalk

33

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of the scope of the plan and a link.

______________________________________________________________________________






74. Has the trails plan been updated since it was adopted?

Yes No

a) If yes, what year? ________

b) Briefly describe the key elements of the trails plan that have been implemented.

______________________________________________________________________________

75. What percentage of the trails plan has been implemented?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

76. Are you meeting annual targets for implementation?

Yes No

77. Are trails routinely integrated with sidewalks and transportation planning?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

78. Is it routine policy to build trails and paths with new and major re-developments?

Yes No

a) If yes, is it required through:

Zoning regulations

34

Other


79. Are incentives provided to encourage trail construction?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

80. Are there protocols in place to reduce conflicts between trail users (e.g., cyclists and

walkers)?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

Resources Ontario's Best Trails: Guidelines and Best Practices for the Design, Construction, and

Maintenance of Sustainable Trails for all Ontarians

Trans Canada Trail Trailbuilders Policy A comprehensive policy document for trailbuilding, specific to the Trans Canada Trail, but an excellent resource

Connectivity & Density

Rationale: When streets are connected people are able to move actively from one place to

another. For example, easements and paths connecting cul-de-sacs increase connectivity

for walkers. Grid networks and short block lengths help make cities more walkable by

creating multiple direct routes that can decrease walking distance compared to longer

blocks or curvilinear street systems. In addition, higher numbers of intersections reduce

unmarked mid-block crossings and provide more areas for people to cross the street safely.

Dense development is associated with higher levels of walking and transit use and reduced

automobile dependency (Ewing, nd). Compact, mixed-use development is fundamental to

making communities walkable because more origins and destinations will be within

walking distance of one another (Leinberger, 2007; Saelens & Handy, 2008). Proximity to

schools, retail, commercial, and municipal uses can encourage walking. Additionally, large

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/assets/files/pdf/member-archives/reports/Ontario's%20Best%20Trails%20-%20%20Full%20Document.pdf

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/assets/files/pdf/member-archives/reports/Ontario's%20Best%20Trails%20-%20%20Full%20Document.pdf

http://www.tctontario.ca/library/files/Trail%20Building%20Policy%20TCT.pdf

35

numbers of pedestrians tend to attract more walkers because they indicate the vitality of

an area and can create a secure walking environment with more eyes on the street. High

densities, walking, and transit use reinforce one another: higher residential and

employment densities mean that more riders will live or work within a half kilometer of a

transit stop; high ridership levels can improve transit service; and transit riders typically

start their trip on foot, so high ridership levels likely indicate high numbers of people

walking.

81. Has your municipality implemented any policies related to connectivity?

Yes No


a) If yes, check all that apply.

Walk friendly block length

Use of easements, rights of way, or unopened road allowances for pedestrian access

Restored or improved street grid

Connectivity standards for new development

Other

N/A

b) If other, please describe. ____________________________________________

c) Please provide links to all applicable policies checked in Q. 81a)

______________________________________________________________________________

82. If applicable, please provide information on the coverage area of this policy(ies) (e.g.,

downtown, certain districts, entire city/town, etc.).

______________________________________________________________________________

83. Approximately what percentage of all development in the last five years has been infill?

______%

84. What planning tools does your municipality use to encourage dense, mixed-use

development? Check all that apply.

Secondary or accessory dwelling units are permitted

Definition: These units are self-contained apartments on an owner occupied single-family lots.

36

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________

Description of measure (including where it is permitted):

______________________________________________________________________________

Establishing mixed-use corridors or districts with retail/commercial on the ground floor

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________

Description of measure (including where it is permitted): ______________________________________________________________________________

Form-based or design-based codes are used

Definition: These codes are an alternative to conventional zoning that can be used to ensure a walk friendly environment by regulating the form, scale and massing of buildings rather than the use. They are typically presented with both diagrams and words.

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________

Growth boundaries

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________


Incentives such as density bonuses to developers for providing amenities that enhance walkability

Definition: Density bonuses are used by local governments to allow a developer to build at a higher density than zoning permits in exchange for providing affordable residences or walk friendly amenities.

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________


Neighborhood school siting policies

Link to measure: ______________________________________________________________________________


______________________________________________________________________________

37

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

85. Please describe the planning efforts in your community to preserve and strengthen your

urban structure. Examples could include downtown or historic area revitalization efforts or infill

and intensification efforts in centres, nodes, districts, and along corridors. (300-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Promoting Physical Activity Through Healthy Community Design (Dr. Larry Frank)

WalkScore (rates towns, cities, and specific addresses by how connected and dense the location is)

GTHA Warming to Increased Density (Toronto Star Article)

Estimating Canada's Suburban Population (Research led by Professor David Gordon, Director of the

School of Urban & Regional Planning, Queen's University)

Measuring Network Connectivity for Bicycling and Walking

Connectivity can be measured many different ways. These include block length, block size,

intersection density, street density, the Connected Node Ratio (a measure that factors in the

number of cul-de-sacs an area has), and more.

Walkable Urban Design & Sustainable Placemaking

The Victoria Transport Policy Institute has more information on creating roadway and pathway

connectivity.

Public Transit

Rationale: Most transit trips begin and end with a walk. A study by the British Columbia

Parks and Recreation Association that focused on Metro Vancouver, found that adults who

live in walk friendly neighbourhoods drive 58% less on average than those who don't and

that people in areas well-served by transit generally do more walking (Devlin, Frank, van

Loon, 2009). In fact, transit riders are more likely to walk for 30 minutes or more daily

than non-transit riders (Besser & Dannenberg, 2005). Therefore, it is important to consider

walking infrastructure and amenities when planning for public transportation. Cities that

are well served by transit can reduce automobile dependency and increase both walking

(the number and frequency of walking trips) and walkability (the human-scale land use

and design elements that attract walkers).

http://health-design.spph.ubc.ca/files/2011/07/sgbc-factsheet-03-v03.pdf

http://www.walkscore.com/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1226816--gta-residents-warming-to-density-pembina-rbc-report

http://env-blogs.uwaterloo.ca/atlas/?p=4660

http://www.enhancements.org/download/trb/trb2004/TRB2004-001550.pdf

http://pedshed.net/?p=71


38

86. Is your community served by public transit?

Yes No


a) If yes, please list the agencies and whether they are city, regional, or both.

______________________________________________________________________________

87. What were your bus ridership numbers for the last year? ____________________________

88. What were your train ridership numbers for the last year? ___________________________

a) What percent of the population in your municipality uses public transit to get to work?

(Journey-to-work Census data)

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

89. Percentage of the population is living within ½ km walk of a bus stop.

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

90. Percentage of the population is living within ½ km walk of a train station.

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

39

Don’t know

N/A

91. What are your overall bus service hours per capita?

______________________________________________________________________________

92. What percentage of your bus routes have a daytime headway of 15 minutes or less?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

93. What percentage of your bus routes have a nighttime headway of 30 minutes or less?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

94. What are your overall train service hours per capita?

______________________________________________________________________________

95. What percentage of your train service has a daytime headway of 15 minutes or less?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

96. Please describe any improvements to your transit system that you have planned.

______________________________________________________________________________

40

97. Number of bus stops in your transit system?

______________________________________________________________________________

a) Percentage of bus stops that are wheelchair accessible?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

98. Number of train stops in your transit system?

______________________________________________________________________________

a) Percentage of train stops that are wheelchair accessible.

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

99. What percentage of stops have the following facilities to accommodate people waiting for

transit (bus and train combined).

a) Shelters

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

b) Concrete pads

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

41

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

c) Seating

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

d) Lighting

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

e) Waste receptacles

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

f) Maps & route information

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

42

N/A

g) Electronic signage to indicate when the next bus/train will arrive

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

Don’t know

N/A

Other, please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

100. Do you provide route planning and/or trip information to assist with the walk to and from

public transit?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe, e.g., real-time arrival information, online trip planning, etc.

___________________________________________________________________________

101. Do you have a transit stop improvement plan or program?

Yes No

a) If yes, how often are transit stops audited?

Once a month

Seasonally (4 times a year)

Twice a year

Annually

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

102. Please describe your transit system improvement process. Include information on bus stop

location guidance and the use of safety and accessibility audits, collision data, and

boarding/alighting data to plan system changes, and improvements.

______________________________________________________________________________

43

Resources

The Big Move (Metrolinx comprehensive regional transportation plan for the Greater Toronto &

Hamilton Area)

Mobility Hub Guidelines (Metrolinx -a resource to provide guidance and inspiration on developing

mobility hub plans and incorporating mobility hub objectives into other planning activities)

Transit Supportive Guidelines (Ontario Ministry of Transportation)

This document is useful in providing tools and strategies to create a more compact land use pattern

supportive of walking and cycling, optimize the effectiveness of existing or future transit services, retain

ridership and better target transit service. In mid-size or larger cities, the guideline will help to better

utilize existing infrastructure, grow ridership and manage urban growth in a more transit-supportive

manner. Includes a section on Complete Streets planning.

Safer than you Think! Revising the Transit Safety Narrative (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Pedestrian Safety Guide for Transit Agencies (U.S. Department of Transportation)

Google Directions for Using Transit Plus Other Modes with Google Maps (Google)

Improving Transit Stop/Station Access (website for Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Centre)

BCRPA, (2009). Physical Activity and Transportation Benefits of Walkable Approaches to Community Design in British Columbia.

Parking

Rationale: The design, price, and amount of parking in a community affect an area’s

walkability. Surface parking lots reduce density, create conflict points between pedestrians

and vehicles at driveways, and are visually unappealing. There are indications that

minimum parking requirements result in surplus parking, increased automobile use, and

decreased density (Wilson, 1995). In addition, a driver’s use of parking tends to be quite

price sensitive, indicating that an abundance of free parking may encourage automobile use

and, consequently, discourage alternate modes like transit and walking (Richard, 2000).

103. Do you have a Parking Master Plan or Strategy?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

http://www.metrolinx.com/thebigmove/en/default.aspx

http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/mobilityhubs/mobility_hub_guidelines.aspx

http://http/www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/transit/supportive-guideline/introduction.shtml

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/(Victoria%20Transport%20Policy%20Institute)

http://www.vtpi.org/tran_health.pdf

http://www.walkinginfo.org/training/collateral/resources/transit_guide.pdf

http://support.google.com/maps/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=144356

http://www.walkinginfo.org/transit/access.cfm

http://act-trans.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/physical-activity-and-transportation-benefits.pdf

http://act-trans.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/physical-activity-and-transportation-benefits.pdf

44

104. Do you have maximum parking standards?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe when and where these are implemented, and provide a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

105. Briefly describe how your minimum parking standards are applied and provide a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

106. Do you have any of the following parking location and design requirements in your Official

Plan to improve the walking environment?

Parking below, beside, or behind a building

Vehicle separation from walkers

Landscaping

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

107. Does your municipality offer any of the following incentives related to parking that

enhance walkability?

Priced public parking

Parking cash-out employee program5

Reduced parking requirements for residential developments that provide amenities that

enhance walkability

Bike parking

Bike Shares located in key parking locations

Shared parking allowances6

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

b) Please provide links to all applicable policies regarding incentives above. 5 Definition: Parking cashout is a financial incentive in which employees who do not drive and park at work receive

a subsidy that approximates the cost employers bear to provide free parking to employees. 6 Definition: Shared parking lots can reduce the total number of parking spaces needed in a particular area by

coordinating peak parking demand times between different buildings and different uses. For instance, an office

45

______________________________________________________________________________

108. Please describe any other plans, planning tools, or policies related to promoting or

enhancing walking in your community not already covered in the Planning section. Provide links

if applicable.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Depave Paradise (A Project of Green Communities Canada)

Rethinking the Parking Lot (New York Times Article)

LEED Transport and Parking Improvements (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Impact of Parking Supply & Demand Management on Central Business District Congestion, Transit

Performance & Sustainable Land Use (Prepared for Florida Dept of Transportation by University of

Florida, Dept of Urban & Regional Planning)

3.3 ENGINEERING & COMMUNITY DESIGN

Engineering involves designing, operating, and maintaining quality roadways and walking

facilities, and is a critical element in producing a walk friendly community. Designers and

engineers play a key role in creating a safe, inviting, and accessible streetscape for walking,

and these benefits are not limited to walkers. By accommodating walkers in all designs for

the public right of way, they become safer for all users. It is essential that engineers and

designers use tools throughout communities that address the needs of walkers, including

sidewalk accommodations and standards, crossings and intersections, traffic calming, and

new and innovative treatments that improve the conditions for walking.

Sidewalks

Rationale: The standard minimum width for sidewalks is 1.5 metres, which allows two

people to pass comfortably or to walk side-by-side. Sidewalk width is context sensitive. For

example, wider sidewalks are needed near schools, at transit stops, in downtown areas, or

anywhere there is a high volume of people walking. Sidewalks should be continuous along

both sides of a street and fully accessible to all people, including those in wheelchairs.

Buffer zones provide a separation between people walking and the roadway. Buffer zones

also allow for the planting of trees which provide shade and comfort in the walking

environment. The buffer zone will vary according to the street type. In downtown or

commercial districts, a street furniture zone is usually appropriate. Parked cars and/or

bicycle lanes can provide an acceptable buffer. In suburban or rural areas, a landscape strip

http://www.hearthmakers.org/depave-paradise

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/opinion/when-a-parking-lot-is-so-much-more.html?_r=2

http://www.vtpi.org/leed_rec.pdf

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/research-center/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT_BDK77_977-07_rpt.pdf

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/research-center/Completed_Proj/Summary_TE/FDOT_BDK77_977-07_rpt.pdf

46

is generally most suitable. Careful planning of sidewalks and walkways is important in an

area in order to provide adequate safety and mobility. The maximum cross-slope should be

2 percent to prevent wheelchair tilting and other difficulties. Providing a level sidewalk

across driveways tells motorists they are crossing a sidewalk and that the pedestrian has

the right-of-way.

Sidewalks have tremendous safety benefits and should be part of every new and renovated

facility, and every effort should be made to retrofit streets that currently do not have

sidewalks.

109. Which of the following standards, if any, are included in your municipality’s sidewalk design specifications? Check all that apply.

Sidewalks at least 1.5 m wide in residential zones

Sidewalks 3 m to 9 m in commercial zones

Required buffer zone between sidewalk and street

Level and continuous sidewalks at driveways so that driveways do not look like roadways

a) Please provide a link to the design standards. _________________________________________________

110. Do you have design standards or guidelines that include accommodations for sidewalks on

various road types?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of your standards/guidelines and provide a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: The Canadian Institute of Planner’s Healthy Communities Planning Guide states

that walk friendly neighbourhoods are associated with more active travel behaviour, and

pedestrian-friendly streetscapes encourage physical activity. In addition, they are

associated with lower body weights, fewer traffic accidents, and less crime7.

Sidewalks also have tremendous safety benefits as they have been found to reduce

“walking along the roadway” type crashes by 86 percent (McMahon et al., 2002); paved

shoulders reduce this type of crash by 71 percent (Gan et al., 2005). While sidewalks are

typically made of concrete, less expensive walkways may be constructed of asphalt,

7 CIP, (2010). Healthy Communities Practice Guide.

47

crushed stone, or other materials if they are properly maintained and accessible (firm,

stable, and slip-resistant).

111. Has your municipality inventoried your sidewalk network?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of your inventory process.

______________________________________________________________________________

112. Please provide the following measures for your sidewalk network.

a) Number of km/m of sidewalks you currently have in your community.

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Number of km/m of sidewalk in your pedestrian master plan (or equivalent plan).

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Number of km/m of new sidewalk you constructed last year.

______________________________________________________________________________

d) Number of km/m of sidewalk you plan to construct in the next three years.

______________________________________________________________________________

113. What percentage of your sidewalk network is complete?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

51-75%

76-100%

114. What percentage of arterials have sidewalks on both sides of the road?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

115. What percentage of collector roads have sidewalks on both sides of the road?

Less than 10%

48

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

116. If in a rural community, what percentage of your municipal roads have sidewalks?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

117. Please describe how your municipality pays for new sidewalk.

______________________________________________________________________________

a) Estimate the percentage of the annual budget indicated in question 115 above that was

spent on new sidewalk and trails construction in the past year.

% on Sidewalks _________

% on Trails __________

118. What percentage of your walking infrastructure is lit using human scale lighting?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

119. How many km of road are there in your roads network?

______________________________________________________________________________

a) What percentage of roads have paved shoulders (minimum 1 metre)?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

49

Sidewalk Maintenance & Repair

Rationale: A complete sidewalk network that includes continuous, well maintained, AODA-

compliant sidewalks and curb ramps is one of the most important elements in making a

community accessible to people of all abilities. In order to create a complete sidewalk

network, communities need to determine the location and condition of existing sidewalks.

There are many different ways to inventory a city’s curb ramps and sidewalks. Some

communities use aerial photographs to begin their inventories. Agencies are increasingly

using personal digital assistant tools (PDAs), geographic information system (GIS)

software, online data entry, and other newer technologies to complete their inventory

(Quiroga & Turner, 2008).

Having an inventory of the sidewalk system can then help identify and prioritize areas for

improvement. Funding the completion and maintenance of the sidewalk system can be

challenging. Cities that have comprehensive sidewalk networks don’t always have more

money, but they frequently prioritize projects that support walking differently than others.

120. Does your community have a program to repair and replace broken sidewalks?

Yes No

a) If yes, how many linear metres were fixed last year?

_____________________________________________________________________________

b) If yes, how many repairs are planned for next year?

_____________________________________________________________________________

c) Estimate the percentage of sidewalks that need to be repaired or replaced.

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

121. How frequently are sidewalks audited for maintenance and repair?

Annually

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

50

122. Is there a mechanism in place for residents to report missing or broken sidewalks and curb

ramps?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

123. Identify the maintenance programs/practices and frequency that ensures your sidewalk

network remains safe, convenient, and enjoyable.

a) Sweeping

Twice a year

Annually

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

b) Snow clearing

Within 24 hours of a snow fall with an accumulation of more than 4 cm

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

c) Salting/Sanding in icy conditions

Within 24 hours of a freezing rain event

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

d) Vegetation clearing

Twice a year

Annually

Upon complaint

51

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

e) None of the above

124. How is sidewalk maintenance budgeted for?

______________________________________________________________________________

125. Estimate the percentage of the budget indicated in question 123 above that was spent on

sidewalk and trail maintenance in the past year.

a) % on Sidewalks _________

b) % on Trails __________

Accessibility

Rationale: Curb ramp design is especially important for wheelchair users and people with

mobility issues – an important consideration given today’s aging population. Corners

should typically have two curb ramps, one for each street that is to be crossed. Curb ramps

should also be designed to include level landings, without which the sidewalk can be quite

difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. Additionally, detectable warnings, a distinctive surface

pattern of domes detectable by cane or underfoot, can be used to alert people with vision

impairments of their approach to streets and hazardous drop-offs.

126. What percentage of your sidewalks currently meet AODA accessibility standards?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

127. What percentage of intersections have accessible curb ramps that meet AODA accessibility

standards on all four corners?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

52

128. Does your municipality have a program to install curb ramps where missing?

Yes No

a) If yes, how many ramps were installed last year? _______

b) How many ramp installations are planned for the next three years? _______

129. Does your municipality have a program to bring narrow sidewalks up to present

accessibility standards?

Yes No

a) If yes, how many metres/km were upgraded last year?

______________________________________________________________________________

b) How many metres/km of upgrades are planned for the next three years?

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Ontario Regulation 239: Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (now includes

section on standards for sidewalks)

Sidewalk Design, Construction, and Maintenance (Federation of Canadian Municipalities Best Practices

Guides

Ottawa Walks website tool for reporting problems with walking infrastructure (Ottawa Walks

Community Advocacy Group)

See Click Fix (a web-based tool to allow reporting of infrastructure problems such as sidewalk

maintenance issues)

Surefoot (City of Winnipeg website providing a daily Winter Walking Conditions Bulletin. The first

program in the world aimed at reducing injuries caused by falls on ice and snow through daily public

bulletins)

Ottawa Walks website tool for reporting problems with walking infrastructure

Trail Maintenance & Repair

130. How many kilometers of trail (paved/hard surface/natural) do you currently have in your

community?

___________

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_020239_e.htm

http://fcm.ca/Documents/reports/Infraguide/Sidewalk_Design_Constructionand_Maintenance_EN.pdf

http://ottawawalkingproblems.ca/

http://seeclickfix.com/

http://www.surefoot.org/

http://ottawawalkingproblems.ca/

53

131. How many kilometers of new trail do you have planned for the next three years?

____________

132. Identify the maintenance programs/practices and frequency that ensures your trails and

pathways remain safe, convenient, and enjoyable?

a) Sweeping of trails

Twice a year

Annually

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

b) Snow clearing of trails

Within 24 hours of a snow fall with an accumulation of more than 4 cm

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

c) Salting/Sanding in icy conditions of trails

Within 24 hours of a freezing rain event

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

Vegetation clearing of trails

Twice a year

Annually

Upon complaint

Never

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

54

Resources

Trail Building Toolbox (Rails to Trails Conservancy - U.S.A.)

This website contains a wealth of resources on trail building, trail maintenance and repair

The Ontario Trails Council

The website to visit for information about Ontario trails (development, management,

maintenance, trails related training, where to find trails and trail related events, etc)

Trans Canada Trail Ontario

The website for the Ontario portion of the Trans Canada Trail, contains a wealth of trail related

resources

Bridges & Tunnels

Rationale: Bridges often provide the only safe route for people to cross certain barriers in a

community (freeways, railroad tracks, and natural barriers). Therefore, walkers should

have access and safe facilities on all bridges in a community. Barriers between the walking

facility and vehicle travel lanes increase the comfort and safety for people walking.

Overpasses and underpasses for walkers should be built when there are no other

convenient crossing options with proper consideration given to lighting, drainage, graffiti

removal, security, and AODA requirements.

133. Does your municipality have a policy with respect to accommodating walkers on any new

bridge project or major reconstruction?

Yes No

a) How many municipal bridges and tunnels do you have in your community?

______________________________________________________________________________

134. What percentage of bridges or overpasses under municipal jurisdiction accommodate

walkers?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

a) Please describe how they are designed to accommodate walkers, including approaches.

______________________________________________________________________________

http://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/trailBuilding/toolbox/index.html

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/

http://www.tctontario.ca/library/

55

135. What percentage of tunnels under municipal jurisdiction accommodate walkers?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

a) Please describe how they are designed to accommodate walkers, including approaches.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Improving the Pedestrian Environment Through Innovative Transportation Design (Institute of

Transportation Engineers)

AASHTO Guide Specifications for Design of FRP Pedestrian Bridges, 1st Edition, 2008 $$$

Pedestrian & Bicycling Information Centre List of Resources for Pedestrian Bridges

SPACING Ottawa article on innovative pedestrian bridge design

Downtown Underpass Urban Design Guidelines (City of Calgary)

with emphasis on improvements to the public realm including pedestrian accessibility

won a national award from Canadian Institute of Planners in 2011

Pedestrian Signaling Systems

Rationale: Walk signal indications should be used at all traffic signals, unless the signal is

located on a highway where walking is prohibited. In general, shorter cycle lengths (less

than 90 seconds) and longer walk intervals provide better service to walkers and

encourage better signal compliance. For optimal service to walkers, signal operation with

short cycle lengths works best. Pushbuttons may be installed at locations where people are

expected intermittently and should be located close to the crosswalk they serve.

136. Does your municipality maintain a pedestrian signaling system?

Yes No

If no, got to question 147.

a) How many pedestrian signalized intersections are there in your municipality?

______________________________________________________________________________

http://www.ite.org/decade/pubs/IR-118-E.pdf

https://bookstore.transportation.org/item_details.aspx?id=1219

http://www.walkinginfo.org/faqs/answer.cfm?id=4126

http://spacingottawa.ca/2011/03/28/walkspace-we-can-do-better-than-a-self-effacing-bridge/

http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/LUPP/Documents/Publications/underpass-guidelines.pdf

56

137. Do you provide pedestrian recall (walkers receiving a signal during every phase without

having to push a button) in high pedestrian corridors?

Yes No

138. Do you have any passive pedestrian detection (e.g., video, microwave) that activates the

signal for walkers?

Yes No

a) If yes, in what context is this used? (200-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Signals may be supplemented with audible or other messages to make crossing

information accessible for all people, including those with vision impairments. Accessible

signals provide information to people who are unable to see the visual walk indication and

have also been found to help pedestrians that have poor visual contrast sensitivity,

particularly in bright sunlight.

139. What percentage of intersections have audible walk signals?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

a) Please describe where audible walk signals are currently installed, and any plans to install

more.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Countdown walk indications must be designed to begin counting down at the

beginning of the clearance (flashing DON'T WALK) interval and can be on fixed-time or

pushbutton operation. A 25 percent reduction in collisions involving walkers when

compared to ordinary walk signals has been found with countdown signals (Markowitz et

al. 2006).

140. What percentage of intersections have countdown signals?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

57

76-100%

a) Please describe where countdown signals are currently installed and any plans to install

more.

______________________________________________________________________________

141. How is signal timing at intersections determined?

Average metres/second for the whole intersection

Actual m/s for each crossing

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

142. What is the policy/practice for displaying Walk signals (e.g., >12 seconds or 25% of cycle length)? ______________________________________________________________________________

143. What is your maximum cycle length in your downtown area? ______________________________________________________________________________

144. Is the location of signalized crossings context sensitive (e.g., prioritized around schools,

seniors residences, and pedestrian generators)?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Prohibiting Right Turn on Red should be considered where and/or when there

are high volumes of people walking, or where there is evidence of a problem with motorists

conflicting with walkers. This can happen when motorists are intent on looking for traffic

approaching on their left and may not be alert to people approaching on their right. A

similar scenario exists with permissive left turns, which can be rectified with protected left

turn phasing only.

A simple, useful change at signalized intersections is the use of a Lead Pedestrian Interval

(LPI). Where there is a concurrent indication for vehicular traffic and walking traffic, an LPI

gives people an advance walk signal before the motorists get a green light, and several

seconds to start into the crossing. In this scenario, people are more visible to motorists and

motorists are more likely to yield to them. The LPI is particularly effective where there are

58

multiple lanes turning. To be useful to pedestrians with vision impairments, an LPI needs

to be accompanied by an audible signal to indicate the walk interval.

145. Are you using any of the following measures to make it safer for walkers at controlled

crossings? Check all that apply.

Right-turn-on-red restrictions

Lead Pedestrian Intervals

Exclusive pedestrian phase (e.g., scramble)

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

b) If any of the measures from Q.144 apply, please provide a brief description of their context

and placement. (100-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: In the downtown environment and other people-oriented areas with close signal

spacing, vehicle speeds can be reduced through effective signal progression along a

corridor.

146. Based on your signal timing, what speed is traffic progress for in the downtown core?

______________________________________________________________________________

147. Please describe any other ways you are addressing levels of service for walkers at

signalized intersections? (100-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Ontario Traffic Manual - Book 12, Traffic Signals

A Technical Review of Pedestrian Signals in Canada (Canadian Institute of Traffic Engineers)

Pedestrian Crosswalks

Rationale: Marked crosswalks serve to highlight the right-of-way where motorists can

expect people to cross. Various crosswalk marking patterns are outlined in the Ontario

Traffic Manual (OTM) Book 15. However, the international (also known as "ladder" or

"zebra") markings are strongly preferred, particularly at uncontrolled locations, because

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/cwbv%20-%20OTM%20Book%2012%20-%20Adobe%20Interactive%20Ver%20(2).pdf

http://www.cite7.org/resources/documents/Pedestrian%20Signals.pdf

59

they are far more visible, which is particularly important at night or in low light conditions

(e.g., rain).

At midblock marked crosswalks, an advance stop/yield line can help prevent multiple

threat collisions at crosswalks on multilane roads. This type of crash occurs when a driver

stops too close to the crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross, masking visibility of the adjacent

travel lane. An advance stop/yield line placed 6 to 15 m ahead of the crosswalk can greatly

reduce the likelihood of multiple-threat collisions, as this encourages drivers to stop back

far enough so a walker can see if a second motor vehicle is not stopping and take evasive

action. The advance yield/stop line should be supplemented with "Stop Here For

Pedestrians" signs to alert drivers where to stop to let a person cross.

148. Are crosswalk locations prioritized to ensure or improve access, safety, and convenience

for walkers?

Yes No

a) If yes, where? Check all that apply.

In high pedestrian traffic areas

In school zones

Near hospitals

Near community centres

Near seniors residences

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

149. How does your municipality delineate pedestrian crossings? Check all that apply.

Ladder style (zebra crossing)

Parallel lines

Raised Crosswalks

Coloured or textured pavement

Signage

Other

a) If other, please describe:

______________________________________________________________________________

150. How many stop or signal-controlled crosswalks are there in your community? ______

60

a) What percentage of these have painted ladder markings?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

151. How many uncontrolled crosswalks are there in your community? ______

152. How often are crosswalk markings maintained?

Annually

Bi-annually

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

153. Does your municipality use advance stop/yield lines at controlled marked crosswalks?

Yes No

154. How are you facilitating safe crossings at mid-block? (100-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Ontario Traffic Manual - Book 15, Pedestrian Crossing Facilities

Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignalized Crossings (Transportation Research Board, U.S.A.) $$$

Pedestrian Safety at Grade Crossing Guide (Transport Canada - crossings of railway tracks)

Signalized Intersection Enhancements That Benefit Pedestrians (America Walks)

Roadway Design

How roads are designed has an impact on the safety of walkers; vulnerable road users in

the right-of-way. For example, one of the significant factors that affect safe crossings is the

number of through lanes. More lanes mean wider roadways, creating a longer crossing

distance which is less safe for people walking. Designing the space for use by all modes of

travel makes it safer for everyone.

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/cvqb%20-%20OTM%20Book%2015%20v4%20Final%20Web.pdf

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/157723.aspx

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/railsafety/pedestriansafety-publications.pdf

http://americawalks.org/wp-content/upload/America-Walks-Signalized-Intersection-Enhancements-Report-Updated-1.30.2012.pdf

61

155. What geometric features are being used to ensure or improve access, safety, and

convenience for walkers? Briefly describe when these are used, how many have been installed

in the last three years (on new roadways or retrofits), and if more are planned.

Rationale: Centre islands—also known as refuge islands, crossing islands, pedestrian

islands, or median slow points—are raised islands placed in the center of the street at

intersections or midblock to help protect people crossing from motor vehicles. Center

crossing islands allow people crossing to deal with only one direction of traffic at a time;

they allow pedestrians to stop partway across the street and wait for an adequate gap in

traffic before crossing the second half of the street. This kind of facility can improve the

safety conditions for people crossing.

a) Medians/refuge islands.

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Right-hand turn lanes with a “pork chop” island refuge controlled with a stop sign.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Curb extensions—also known as bulb-outs or pinch points—extend the sidewalk

or curb line out into the parking lane, which reduces the effective street width. Curb

extensions significantly improve crossings for people walking by reducing the distance,

visually and physically narrowing the roadway, improving visibility for walkers and

motorists to see each other, and reducing the time that people are in the street. Curb

extensions are only appropriate where there is an on-street parking lane. The turning

needs of larger vehicles, such as school buses, need to be considered in curb extension

design. Bicycle lanes (or shoulders, or whatever space is being used for bicycle travel) must

not be eliminated or squeezed in order to create the curb extensions or islands.

c) Curb extensions (bulb outs, pinch outs).

______________________________________________________________________________

d) Other – please describe.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: One common type of collision involves people being struck by right-turning

vehicles at an intersection. A wide curb radius typically results in high-speed turning

movements by motorists. Reconstructing the turning radius to a tighter turn will reduce

turning speeds, shorten the crossing distance for walkers, and also improve sight distance

between people and motorists. Curb radii can, in fact, be tighter than any modern guide

62

would allow: older and some neo-traditional cities frequently have radii of 3 to 4.6 m

without suffering any detrimental effects. More typically, in new construction, the

appropriate turning radius is about 4.6 m for residential streets and about 7.6 m for

arterial streets with a substantial volume of turning buses and/or trucks.

156. What is the standard curb radius for your:

a) Neighbourhood streets ______

b) Collectors ______

c) Arterials ______

157. Briefly describe how the safety of walkers is factored into decisions about curb radii. (100-

word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

158. Does your municipality apply multi-modal levels of service as found in the Highway

Capacity Manual (U.S.) or the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ standards for Canada to

evaluate and design streets and intersections?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads (Transportation Association of Canada) $$$

Road Design Guidelines from the Transportation Association of Canada

Improving the Pedestrian Environment Through Innovative Transportation Design (Institute of

Transportation Engineers)

NYC Street Design Manual (New York City Department of Transportation)

The Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) Subcommittee of the Transportation Association of Canada has a

mandate to develop and maintain a chapter for the Geometric Design Guide on the topic of best

practices and design guidelines related to vulnerable road users. The expected material to be included in

the VRU chapter includes warrants, design guidelines and dimension domain for sidewalks, pathways,

intersections, curb ramps, pedestrian crossings at road/rail crossings, guard rail protection, traffic

calming, surface treatments etc. The subcommittee would also promote development of a module for

educational and training purposes. Contact the Transportation Association of Canada for more

information at www.tac-atc.ca.

https://vws3.primus.ca/dev.tac-atc.ca/english/bookstore/products.cfm?catid=9&subcatid=18&prodid=54

http://www.rockyview.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yoiakNJOp7Y%3D&tabid=686

http://www.ite.org/decade/pubs/IR-118-E.pdf

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/streetdesignmanual.shtml

http://www.tac-atc.ca/

63

Traffic Calming

Rationale: Traffic calming is a way to design streets that uses physical and visual cues to

encourage motorists to drive more slowly. If done correctly, traffic calming reduces traffic

speeds, the number and severity of collisions, and noise levels. It can also encourage

walking because reduced speeds and improved aesthetics improve comfort for people

traveling on foot. Types of traffic calming techniques include horizontal shifts, vertical

deflection, and closures.

A road diet typically reduces the number of travel lanes on a road, reallocating this space

for other needs (walking paths, bicycle lanes, transit facilities, etc.). Road diets provide

many benefits to pedestrians, including reduced crossing distance, room for median islands

to break the crossing into two simpler crossings, and a buffer zone for the sidewalk

through the addition of wider sidewalks, parking, or bicycle lanes. As many roadways have

been overbuilt, most communities have many road diet candidates. A typical road diet

reduces a four-lane road to a three-lane road; this can often be done on roads with less

than 15,000 Average Daily Trips (ADT). Road diets also make roads safer. One study found

that a traditional 4-to-3 road diet resulted in a 29 percent reduction in collisions for all

users (Harkey et al. 2008).

159. How are you implementing traffic calming measures to slow traffic speeds? Check all that

apply.

Road diets (reducing the # of lanes in the right-of-way)

Lane diets (reducing lane width)

Traffic circles

Speed bumps/tables

Other

N/A


______________________________________________________________________________

b) Briefly describe your warrant process for implementing traffic calming measures, examples

of where these are being implemented, and if more are planned. (300-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

160. What are the speed limits on your roadways?

a) Speed limit on main roads in your downtown area ______

b) Speed limit on the majority of neighbourhood streets ______

c) Speed limit on the majority of all other municipal roads ______

64

161. How many schools are there in your municipality? ______

162. What percentage of schools have Community Safety Zones with increased fines for

speeding?

Less than 10%

10-25%

26-50%

50-75%

76-100%

N/A

163. Briefly describe any other transportation engineering standards, practices and/or policies

that improve the conditions for walking in your community.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Traffic Calming in Canadian Urban Areas (Transport Canada)

Canadian Guide for Neighbourhood Traffic Calming (Transportation Association of Canada) $$$

Traffic calming measures for local and collector streets within established urban residential

areas

Primarily oriented toward retrofit situations

Making Streets Safe (Walk Boston)

Traffic Calming Design Guidelines (New York City Department of Transportation)

Urban Traffic Calming & Health (National Collaborating Centre for Public Policy)

This literature review examines the effects of traffic calming in urban environments on four health

determinants:

• The number and severity of road collisions

• Air quality

• Environmental noise

• Physical activity associated with active transportation.

Additional General Resources

The United Nations Road Safety Collaboration has declared 2011-2020 the UN Decade of Action on Road

Safety with the goal of preventing the loss of 5 million lives. The newly released road safety manual for

decision makers and practitioners stresses the importance of a comprehensive, holistic approach that

includes enforcement, engineering and education.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-trafficcalming-1172.htm

https://vws3.primus.ca/dev.tac-atc.ca/english/bookstore/products.cfm?catid=12&subcatid=21&subcat=0#bikeway

http://www.walkboston.org/sites/default/files/WalkBoston%20making%20streets%20safe.pdf

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/safety/traffic-calming.shtml

http://www.inspq.qc.ca/pdf/publications/1424_ApaisementCircuUrbaineSante_VA.pdf

http://www.who.int/roadsafety/en/

http://www.who.int/roadsafety/en/

http://www.who.int/roadsafety/publications/en/index.html

65

Planning & Designing for Pedestrians & Cyclists (Velo Quebec) $$$

A technical "how to " manual for building walk friendly infrastructure

Available in French

School and playground areas and zones: Guidelines for application and implementation (Transportation

Association of Canada) $$$

Online TDM Encyclopedia (T. Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Touted as the world’s most comprehensive information resource concerning innovative

transportation management strategies, it has thousands of hyperlinks that provide instant

access to more detailed information, including case studies and reference documents.

Context Sensitive Solutions to Designing Major Urban Thoroughfares for Walkable

Communities (Institute of Transportation Engineers)

New York City Pedestrian Safety Study Action Plan (New York City Department of Transportation)

This unprecedented study reviewed crash data from NYC over eight years, in order to identify

the underlying causes and come up with a comprehensive plan to address those issues to

further reduce pedestrian deaths and serious injuries

New York Safe Streets for Seniors Presentation (New York City Department of Transportation)

A presentation given by NYC DOT Commissioner Janet Sadik-Khan on the very successful

program to reduce pedestrian crashes for seniors through engineering improvements

AASHTO Guide for Planning, Design, and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities (American Association of

State Highway & Transportation Officials) $$$

Why We're Stuck at High Speeds and What We're Going to Do About It (America Walks)

How Communities are Slowing Down (America Walks)

Engineering for Active School Travel (Canada Walks)

Design Plan for John St., Toronto (City of Toronto) contains good information on tree planting on the last

page

Placemaking

Rationale: Being walk friendly is about more than safely and efficiently getting from A to B.

It is about the experience and opportunities along the way. Is it enjoyable? Is it pleasant?

Is it inviting? Is it comfortable? Does it have the “WOW” factor? Walk friendly

environments invite people to linger. They encourage a host of other activities including

shopping, socializing, playing, eating and drinking, learning about the community’s culture,

observing art, creating art, and also sitting to read, chat, relax, play, and soak up fresh air

and sunshine. When these amenities and aesthetics are clustered together, you get an area

http://www.velo.qc.ca/en/handbook

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/School%20and%20playground%20areas%20and%20zones:%20Guidelines%20for%20application%20and%20implementation


http://www.ite.org/bookstore/RP036.pdf

http://www.ite.org/bookstore/RP036.pdf

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nyc_ped_safety_study_action_plan.pdf

http://www.walk21.com/papers/Safe%20Streets%20for%20Seniors%20Presentation%20Finalsmall.pdf

https://bookstore.transportation.org/item_details.aspx?id=119

http://americawalks.org/wp-content/upload/Why-We-Are-Stuck-at-High-Speed-and-What-We-Are-Going-to-Do-About-It.pdf

http://americawalks.org/resources/position-papers/how-communities-are-slowing-down/

http://asrts.gccserver.ca/oldsite/partnership/downloads/Safety-Engineering.pdf

http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/john/pdf/john_esr_section_7_p1.pdf

66

that has a magnetic attraction to people at all hours and in all sorts of weather. This is

frequently called “placemaking.”

164. Does your municipality give priority to walkers through: (Check all that apply)

Pedestrian streets/malls (walkers only, no through traffic)

Designated Shared Space, Home Zones, Pedestrian Priority Zones

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

165. Does your municipality have policies and programs related to providing street furniture?

Yes No

a) Please describe and provide a link or attachment of policy:

______________________________________________________________________________

166. Has street furniture in your municipality been inventoried as part of your infrastructure

assessment?

Yes No

Rationale: Creating a sense of place involves adding many elements to the public realm. For

example, as our population ages, it is crucial to provide frequent places for people to sit and

rest. Seating encourages people to stop along their walking route, bringing liveliness and

vibrancy to the area. Having access to basic amenities, such as clean drinking water and

washrooms, supports the needs of walkers in the public realm. Public washrooms that are

accessible, clean, and well identified through signage are important for seniors and young

families, and make a community truly “age friendly”.

167. Briefly describe any innovative ways that your community is providing seating in the public

realm.

______________________________________________________________________________

67

168. Briefly describe your protocol/strategy for siting benches and seating in your community,

as well as any maintenance schedules or practices that ensure that the seating remains in good

repair.

______________________________________________________________________________

169. Briefly describe your policies and practices with respect to providing public drinking water

fountains in your community.

_____________________________________________________________________________

170. How many public washrooms are there in your community? _______

171. Does your community encourage businesses to identify washrooms that are available for

public use?

Yes No

172. Do you have an urban forestry policy/plan?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of your policy/plan and a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

173. Briefly describe how tree plantings are being used in your community to create attractive

places to walk.

______________________________________________________________________________

174. What types of shelter from the elements do you provide in the walking environment?

Gazebos

Covered walkways

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Public art, in its various forms can contribute greatly to a community’s

attractiveness to everyone, especially walkers who are travelling at the best speed to

admire it. It contributes to a sense of place and belonging, and can build community pride

by showcasing the culture of a place. It is also a draw for tourists and visitors.

68

175. Does your municipality have a mechanism in place that encourages public art, culture, and

heritage in the public realm?

Yes No

a) Please provide a brief description and any links to applicable plans, policies, and/or

information.

______________________________________________________________________________

176. If applicable, how many pieces of public art, including murals and banners, does your

community currently have? ________

177. Please describe any plans that you have underway to encourage public art, culture, and

heritage in the public realm.

______________________________________________________________________________

Rationale: Community plazas, popular in bygone eras, are making a resurgence as places to

build and experience “community.” There are many examples in communities large and

small across Ontario that have converted open space adjacent to town halls, churches, and

post offices to community gathering places that people can walk to and through, as well as

linger in. Green space that includes attractive landscaping in built up areas is also

important to provide opportunities to experience the beauty and health-giving qualities of

nature, best enjoyed at the pace of walking. Keeping public spaces for walking clean, clear

of obstacles and debris, and free of graffiti make them inviting places to be in. Prompt

removal of graffiti is important to deter further defacement of public property.

Aggressively keeping graffiti and littering under control is important to making people feel

safe and encouraging them to spend time in public space.

178. Do you have one or more pedestrian-oriented public square(s) or gathering place(s) where

programming takes place?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe the programs that take place in this space.

______________________________________________________________________________

179. How many hectares of parks and greenways do you have? __________________________

a) Please describe any programs or ways that your parks are used to encourage walking.

______________________________________________________________________________

69

180. Do you have policies that promote and/or facilitate the use of municipal streets for

activities and festivals?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a link to your policy.

______________________________________________________________________________

181. Please describe any street festivals that your community hosts annually to encourage

walking?

______________________________________________________________________________

182. Do you allow entertainers, e.g., musicians, magicians, jugglers, etc., to perform on your

streets?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

183. Do you allow food vendors to sell food on your streets?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

184. Please describe your policy and practice with respect to addressing negative graffiti and

vandalism of public property?

______________________________________________________________________________

185. Do you have any of the following decorative plantings in public spaces your community?

Check all that apply.

Flower gardens

Hanging baskets

Planters

Trees

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

70

186. If you have decorative plantings, who takes care of them?

Municipal staff

Volunteers

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

187. Does your municipality have an annual budget allocated for trees and/or decorative

plantings in public spaces?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

188. Please describe any other policies, practices, or programs that your municipality has that

enhance the aesthetic appeal of the built environment in ways that make it inviting to walk in

your community.

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Footprints of Delight (Catherine O'Brien)

This article explores the concept of "Sustainable Happiness." It highlights the results of the

"Delighful Places survey in which participants provided their experience of delightful places and

offered suggestions for creating and sustaining such environments.

Placemaking capitalizes on a local community’s assets, inspiration, and potential, ultimately creating great public spaces that promote health, happiness, and well being. Placemaking is both a process and a philosophy. To read more see this article from Project for Public Spaces. The Forward Thinking on Behinds and steps as seating in New York

Soul of the Community (Knight Foundation Report in partnership with Gallup)

Soul of the Community

Soul of the Community (webcast of presentation in Red Deer, Alberta by Katherine Loflin)

Design of Walking Environments for Spiritual Renewal (Jody Rosenblat-Naderi)

A research document exploring the environmental design variables that encourage mental well-

being and spiritual renewal through walking

http://www.sustainablehappiness.ca/2010/12/publications/a-footprint-of-delight/

http://www.pps.org/reference/grplacefeat/

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/city-benches-2011-11/

http://laughingsquid.com/the-step-seats-of-new-york-city/

http://soulofthecommunity.org/sites/default/files/OVERALL.pdf

http://soulofthecommunity.org/

https://new.livestream.com/imediatvlive/communityidentity

http://www.walk21.com/papers/copenhagen04designof%20walkingenvironments.pdf

71

Canada's Top 100 Public Spaces (Spacing Magazine) $$$

Reviews Canada's top 100 public spaces - focuses on the aesthetics and amenities that make

them great

The Re-Emergence of Public Squares (Project for Public Spaces)

NYC DOT Public Plaza Program (New York City Department of Transportation)

Crossing Pedestrians (City of Mississauga)

Fabulous example of the City working to shed its car-centric image by combining public art and a

pedestrian crossing

Placemaking in the City of London (City of London, Ontario)

Sidewalk Fixtures and Amenities (City of Vancouver, BC)

Make Way for People (Placemaking in the City of Chicago - one of the most ambitious pedestrian plans

in the world)

Placemaking Chicago: Step-by-Step Guide (website of Chicago Metropolitan Planning Council & Project

for Public Spaces)

Tactical Urbanism (The Street Plans Collaborative)

Play Streets (Transportation Alternatives, NYC)

Wayfinding

Rationale: Communities that provide information about places to walk may enjoy higher

rates of walking. Walking maps and tours may be especially useful to tourists, residents

who are new to your community, or residents who do not yet walk frequently as they can

highlight important destinations and indicate which routes are best for walkers. Signs,

maps, and tours indicate a community’s support for a walking culture and are a good way

for municipalities to encourage and facilitate walking trips for many different purposes,

including recreation, transportation, and fitness.

189. Does your municipality have a wayfinding plan or strategy?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description and links to relevant material.

______________________________________________________________________________

http://spacing.ca/magazine/issue-21/

http://www.pps.org/articles/the-re-emergence-of-the-public-square/

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/sidewalks/publicplaza.shtml

http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/Crossing_Pedestrians.pdf

http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Planning/placemaking.htm

http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/sidewalk-fixtures-and-amenities.aspx

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/make_way_for_people.html

http://www.placemakingchicago.com/guide/

http://www.streetplans.org/detailnews.php?id=80

http://transalt.org/campaigns/pedestrian/playstreets

72

190. Do you have any of the following wayfinding resources available in your community?

Check all that apply.

Walking maps, online, or printed

Human-scale wayfinding and route signage

Guide books/brochures

Other

Resources

Legible London (Walk21 Paper by Adrian Bell, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, Transport

London)

Presentation on one of the best practices in wayfinding from the City of London, England

Legible London

Legible London: Can Better Signs Help Pedestrians Understand an Extremely Disorienting City? (Slate

Magazine Article)

Walk [Your City]

An open-sourced "guerrilla wayfinding" project focused on helping anyone create safe and

healthy walkable environments.

Guerilla Wayfinding in Raleigh (Atlantic Cities)

An article about the guerilla wayfinding movement

Walk London

A guerilla wayfinding project in London Ontario that includes signage with QR codes that take

you to more information about the place you are in/walking to. There is an open source

component to the website that you can add “little gems” to.

Wayfinder NYC

Example of a mobile app to help walkers find the closest train, subway, or bus

3.4 EDUCATION & ENCOURAGEMENT

Rationale: Education programs and activities are primary components in creating a

successful walk friendly community because they inform, inspire, motivate, and reward

walkers and other users of the public right of way. Effective safety education for walkers

begins at an early age, is age-specific, and continues through the years across all modes. For

example, motorists that are educated about the safety of walkers contribute to a safer,

more pleasant walking environment for people.

http://www.walk21.com/papers/Bell,%20Adrian-%20Legible%20London%20Walk%2021%20Final.pdf

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/legible-london/

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/signs/2010/03/legible_london.html

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cityfabric/walk-your-city

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2012/02/guerilla-wayfinding-raleigh/1139/

http://walklondon.ca/

http://www.wayfindermobile.com/

73

Encouragement programs such as Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) and Active

School Travel Planning (STP) exists because of concerns that fewer children are walking

and bicycling to school today and about rising rates of childhood obesity and the attendant

long-term health risks and impact on the nation’s healthcare system. ASRTS programs

typically employ a multi-faceted approach that can be fun and inclusive. Events that “open

streets” to people using active modes of transportation not only provide a fun opportunity

to bring people together and celebrate as a community, but can also be good for local

businesses.

191. Does your municipality have a Transportation Demand Management program to reduce

motor vehicle trips and encourage the use of other modes of transportation?

Yes No



______________________________________________________________________________

b) How many years has the program been operating? __________________________________

What percentage of municipal staff participated in the last year of the program? ____________

192. Do schools in your community use resources that enable teachers to carry out road-safety

education for walkers?

Yes No Some

a) If yes, please describe:

______________________________________________________________________________

193. Do schools in your community offer any of these Active and Safe Routes to School

Programs to encourage children and youth to use to encourage children and youth to use active

travel to school? Check all that apply.

Walk to School Day/Week

Walking/Wheeling Wednesdays

Walk/Wheel Once a Week (WoW)

Winter Walk Day or other walking event

Walking School Bus

74

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

194. How many elementary (K-6), senior elementary, and high schools are there in your

community?

a) Elementary (K-6) ______

b) Senior elementary ______

c) High School ______

d) N/A ______

195. How many of these schools participate in Active and Safe Routes to School programs?




d) N/A ______

196. Approximately what percentage of children and youth in your community participate in

Active and Safe Routes to School programs?




d) N/A ______

197. Aside from school-based programs and resources, are there any other programs being

offered in your community that teach children about road safety and walking?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe:

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Changing Transportation Behaviours: A Social Marketing Planning Guide (Transport Canada)

Are Vehicle Travel Reduction Targets Justified? (T. Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

Smart Commute (Metrolinx)

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/programs/ctb.pdf

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/Are%20Vehicle%20Travel%20Reduction%20Targets%20Justified?

http://www.smartcommute.ca/en/home

75

The transportation demand management program of Metrolinx, serving the Greater Toronto &

Hamilton Area

On-line TDM Encyclopedia (T. Litman, Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

A comprehensive source of information about innovative management solutions to

transportation problems. It provides detailed information on dozens of demand management

strategies, plus general information on TDM planning and evaluation techniques. It is produced

by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute to increase understanding and implementation of TDM.

School Travel Planning Toolkit (Canada Walks, Green Communities Canada)

Active & Safe Routes to School Website (Canada Walks, Green Communities Canada)

Safe Kids Walk This Way (Safe Kids Canada Website)

Final Report-Stepping It Up-Jun12

A report on the successful Metrolinx project that utilized the Green Communities Canada School

Travel Planning Model to increase the number of students walking and biking to schools in the

Metropolitian Toronto and Greater Hamilton Area

Training

Rationale: Ongoing education for professional staff underscores the priority a community

places upon the importance of walking, walkability, and safety. By educating public

officials, communities can help ensure that by-laws and policies that support walking are

actually implemented. Education and training activities offer an opportunity to refresh

current practices and learn new strategies. Such training can reduce or eliminate potential

miscommunication between different professions.

198. How do you ensure that your engineers and planners maintain contemporary professional

standards and best practices to accommodate pedestrians?

Send staff to walking/AT specific conferences

Hire outside consultants to train staff

Require project consultants to have walk/AT qualifications

Internal training or design manual

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/index.php

http://saferoutestoschool.ca/school-travel-planning-toolkit

http://saferoutestoschool.ca/

http://www.safekidscanada.ca/Professionals/Safety-Information/Pedestrian-Safety/Index.aspx

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/FinalReport-SteppingItUp-Jun12.pdf

76

199. In consultation with other professionals within your community, briefly describe any

training they have taken with respect to walkability.

a) Law enforcement:

______________________________________________________________________________

b) School staff:

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Public officials:

______________________________________________________________________________

d) Public Health Professionals:

______________________________________________________________________________

Professional associations providing training:

Canada Walks - National in scope - fee-for-service walkability workshops and walkability audits, speaking

engagements

Canadian Urban Institute - National in scope - membership based - resources, training events

Walk21 - International in scope - consulting, annual conference - proceedings of past conferences

available - Metro Vancouver hosted in 2011

Alliance for Biking & Walking - North American scope - membership based - resources, training events,

annual Pro Bike Pro Walk Conference

Walkable Communities - USA based non-profit - consulting, training, resources

8-80 Cities - International in scope, Canadian based - consulting, training, resources, speaking

engagements

Complete Streets Canada - a project of the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation; great on-line

resources

Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Centre - USA based organization; great on-line resources, training

events

Rationale: Education and encouragement campaigns can communicate the benefits of

walking, as well as the rights and responsibilities of pedestrians and motorists, to school

children, residents, and visitors. Walkable communities can be cultivated by educating all

roadway users to interact safely. There are major differences in the walking abilities,

behavioural patterns, and learning capacities of different groups of pedestrians and other

http://www.canadawalks.ca/

http://www.canurb.com/

http://www.walk21.com/

http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/

http://www.walklive.org/how-we-help/technical-assistance/

http://www.8-80cities.org/

http://www.completestreetsforcanada.ca/

http://www.walkinginfo.org/

77

road users. Because of this, educational programs succeed when tailored to specific

audiences and to the behaviors they seek to modify. For example, children have different

physical and psychological abilities than adult pedestrians, a younger or new driver may

exhibit different behaviours and driving skills than an older driver, and college-age

pedestrians may respond to different educational modes and media that might not be as

effective in reaching other groups.

Campaigns

200. How do you promote walking in your community? Check all that apply.

Municipal Proclamation

Public service announcements to encourage safe walking and driving

Public health campaigns

Publish a guide to walking with maps

Ads and articles in the newspaper

Social media

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

201. Do you actively promote the Clean Air Commute or Commuter Challenge annually?

Yes No Other

a) If yes, how many people/employers/organizations participated in the last year of the

campaign? Any trends in participation?

______________________________________________________________________________

202. What measures, if any, has your community taken to ensure that education and

encouragement campaigns reach traditionally underserved populations, and are inclusive?

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

iCANwalk (social marketing campaign resources - Canada Walks)

EcoDriver (program of Green Communities Canada focused on driving smarter and driving less)

A Guide to Community Wide Walking Campaigns (AARP document)

http://icanwalk.ca/en/home

http://www.greencommunitiescanada.org/programs/ecodriver/

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/health/active_for_life_chapter_04.pdf

78

Ajax Moves 3 Ways

comprehensive safety program for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists

How to Start a Walking Program (Walk B.C.)

Walkabout Nova Scotia (Provincial program of the Heart and Stroke Foundation)

Log Your Steps (Start a community challenge using StepsCount pedometers)

Ottawa Pedometer Lending Program

Toronto Pedometer Lending Program

Events

Rationale: Walking-focused events or activities offer opportunity, incentive, and support

for individual behavioural change. Special events and ongoing activities, such as Sunday

Parkways or art walks, can make walking exciting, fun, and social – and can create a critical

mass of walkers that can attract more walkers.

203. Does your community host Open Streets events, e.g., Car Free Sundays?

Yes No

If yes, please describe who is involved in organizing the event, when you started hosting these

events, how many you host annually, what your participation rates are (approx.), the length of

roadway that is used, the type of road that they are held on, etc. (200-word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

204. What other events do you host in your community to encourage walking? Check all that

apply.

Organized community walks

Mayor-led walk

Walking tours

Trail construction/maintenance day

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

205. Do you track participation rates for the events listed in question 204?

Yes No

http://ajaxmoves3ways.ca/?page_id=7

http://walkbc.ca/how-start-walking-program

http://walkaboutns.ca/

http://www.logyoursteps.com/index_en.html

http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/library/card/using/other/pedometer

http://www.toronto.ca/health/walkintohealth/pedometerlending.htm

79

a) If yes, please describe the approximate number of people participating and any trends.

______________________________________________________________________________

206. Does the municipality sponsor or actively support any of the events identified in questions

204 & 205?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe their role.

______________________________________________________________________________

207. Do you have a policy to make it easy for residents to organize a street event?

Yes No

a) If yes, please provide a brief description of the policy and a link.

______________________________________________________________________________

208. What partnerships exist to encourage and promote walking in your community? (200-

word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Cyclovia Implementation & Advocacy Manual (Pan American Health Organization & Centres for Disease

Control)

Comprehensive "how to manual" for organizing and implementing a car-free/cyclovia event

Some municipalities have created kits to make it easier for citizens to organize street festivals and

events, e.g., Halifax Block Party

Events:

Jane's Walk (first week of May annually)

Commuter Challenge (June 3 - 9, 2012)

Park[ing] Day (annually, the third Friday in September)

Cool Ideas Mutual Aid Call

Notes taken about cool ideas presented on a webinar with the Alliance for Biking & Walking and

America Walks

Walking tours:

Flesherton: "The Walking Village"

Uxbridge: the Trails Capital of Canada

Heritage Walking Tours, Toronto

Self-guided Walking Tours, Toronto

http://cicloviarecreativa.uniandes.edu.co/english/images/anexos/CICLOVIASmanual_english.pdf

http://www.myhrm.ca/ToolKit/CommunityGrants.php

http://www.janeswalk.net/

http://commuterchallenge.ca/blog/

http://parkingday.org/

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Cool-Ideas_Mutural-Aid-Call.pdf

http://theflesherton.ca/day-tripper/walking-village/

http://www.town.uxbridge.on.ca/canada_trail_capital

http://www.heritagetoronto.org/discover-toronto/walk

http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/walking/walking_tours.htm

80

Kelowna Cultural District Self-Guided Walking Tour

Open Streets Project – See this site for information on what Open Streets are all about and a guide to

organizing an event

Open Street events - some Ontario examples and examples from across Canada:

Open Streets Hamilton

OurStreet London

Open Streets UpTown Waterloo

Ciclovia Winnipeg

Open Streets Calgary

VIVA Vancouver

3.5 ENFORCEMENT

Enforcement is an important technique for making communities safer for walking. Although

the walking environment may include engineering improvements or urban design features

to support walking, there may still be safety concerns if traffic laws are not properly

understood or adequately enforced. Enforcement may be the most important element in

getting drivers to respect the right-of-way of walkers while crossing with the light at

intersections. A well-implemented enforcement campaign also includes public education

and awareness activities, law enforcement officer training and strategic ticketing strategies.

A successful enforcement program will usually require the involvement of community

members, law enforcement officials, city council members, and the media. The awareness

and education messages should tell people about the problem and why enforcement action

is necessary. This will help generate public support and offset any complaints from those

who are caught breaking the law. The public also needs to know what the enforcement

activities will be and when they will start. Get the word out by mailing materials to

residents living within a certain distance of the program area and using local television

stations and newspapers to spread the message. For some drivers, raising that awareness

may be enough to cause them to alter their unsafe actions; for others, seeing that traffic

laws are being regularly enforced may change their behaviour.

Traffic Safety

Rationale: Demands on a police department and the level of support departments receive

can often vary from community to community. Law enforcement agencies are stretched

thin in most communities; however, designating a traffic safety officer can prioritize traffic

safety enforcement and improve safety for walkers.

Police departments may choose to use a progressive ticketing approach or a combined

enforcement and education approach, as these tend to be better received and more

http://www.kelowna.ca/CityPage/Docs/PDFs/Communications/2009-09-01_CulturalDistrictWalkingTour_brochure.pdf

http://openstreetsproject.org/blog/2012/07/10/open-streets-guide-now-available-in-print-edition/

http://openstreetshamilton.ca/

http://www.ourstreet.ca/

http://openstreetsutw.ca/

http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/

http://www.openstreetscalgary.com/

http://www.celebratevancouver125.ca/2011/01/open-streets/

81

effective than unexplained ticketing. Studies by Van Houten (2004) and others have found

that enforcement aimed at motorists is more effective than enforcement aimed at walkers.

209. Does your community have a traffic safety division/unit within the Police Department?

Yes No N/A

210. Does your community have a traffic safety officer within the Police Department?

Yes No N/A

211. Does your community have police patrols on foot or bike?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe how many police officers patrol using these modes, how often, and

under what circumstances.

______________________________________________________________________________

212. Has your community used any of the following targeted enforcement programs to ensure

the safety and security of walkers in crosswalks and on city/town streets? Check all that apply.

Targeted pedestrian crossing operations (e.g., use of plain-clothed “decoy pedestrian”)

Media campaigns regarding road safety

Speed feedback signs

DUI checkpoints

Targeted speed enforcement, e.g., school zones

Progressive ticketing

Emergency call boxes

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

What's Speed Got to Do With It? Safe Kids Canada

Brampton Neighbourhood Traffic Management Guide

includes a broad range of initiatives including enforcement, but also education and engineering,

to combat excessive speed on neighbourhood streets

Speed Management - A Road Safety Manual for Decision Makers & Practitioners (World Health

http://www.safekidscanada.ca/Parents/Documents/26678-SpeedReduction.pdf

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/Brampton%20Neighbourhood%20Traffic%20Management%20Guide

http://www.grsproadsafety.org/sites/grsp.drupalgardens.com/files/Speed_management_English.pdf

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Organization)

A comprehensive manual to manage road speeds, reduce collisions and improve the safety

of walkers and cyclists

Ajax Moves 3 Ways

comprehensive safety program for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists

Speed Display Boards (City of Brampton website)

Safe Kids Canada PACE Car Program

Twenty is Plenty Where People Live (UK):

World Health Organization Decade of Action for Road Safety

Pedestrian Safety Program of the R.C.M.P.

Crash Support (Active Alliance website, Chicago, USA)

Citations

Rationale: There are a variety of ways that law enforcement officers, community members,

city planners, and public works departments can increase the safety of people walking from

traffic dangers, as well as crime. Police presence can be an important element in creating a

safe and secure walking environment. It is important for law enforcement agencies to

regularly enforce traffic violations, and those that relate to the safety of walkers should be

enforced with the same rigor as others. Tracking traffic citations can help communities

better understand what types of traffic safety problems exist. Note that it is important to

have cooperation with the court system to ensure conviction of these violations.

213. Do local regulations treat walkers equitably? Check all that apply.

Penalties are actively enforced for failure to yield to pedestrians in non-signalized

crosswalks

Penalties are actively enforced for parking on sidewalks

Penalties are actively enforced for parking too close to intersections or crosswalks

The community uses photo enforcement for speeding

The community uses photo enforcement for running red lights

Penalties are actively enforced for failure to yield to pedestrians when crossing with the

right-of-way in an intersection

None of the above

Other


______________________________________________________________________________

http://ajaxmoves3ways.ca/?page_id=7

http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/Brampton%20Neighbourhood%20Traffic%20Management%20Guide

http://www.safekidscanada.ca/Parents/Safety-Information/Pedestrian-Safety/Pace-Car/Pace-Car-Program.aspx

http://www.20splentyforuk.org.uk/

http://www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/en/

http://http/www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ts-sr/catalogue/pedsafe-eng.htm

http://www.activetrans.org/crashsupport

83

214. Briefly describe your community’s policies and practices regarding the use of adult

crossing guards at elementary schools.

______________________________________________________________________________

215. Do police work regularly with traffic engineers, planners, or public works to review sites in

need of traffic safety improvements for motorists and pedestrians?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

216. Do you use collision and/or fatality data to identify problem areas and potential solutions?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

217. Do police work regularly with the municipality to provide assessments through the Crime

Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program?

Yes No


______________________________________________________________________________

218. Please describe any other ways that your community’s police service addresses the safety

concerns of walkers in your community.

______________________________________________________________________________

Community Design

Rationale: Some communities target enforcement in areas where there is a known safety

problem. This can be an effective strategy if the safety problem is caused by the behaviour

of walkers or drivers. Unlike vehicle collisions, collision rates for walkers are typically not

used, since volumes of walkers are usually not known. Instead, high-collision locations,

corridors, and targeted areas should be initially identified by comparing the total number

of collisions involving walkers.

Improving the safety for walkers in a community or region is typically the result of

implementing different safety treatments and changing agency design policies. Collision

countermeasures, or treatments intended to address safety concerns for people walking,

can take several forms: operational and construction projects intended to fix specific

84

problems; changes in design guidelines to help improve streets and intersections in future

projects; and education and enforcement programs aimed at achieving changes in motorist

and pedestrian behaviour or attitude. By partnering with engineers, law enforcement

officers can help identify and improve pedestrian safety problems. Addressing pedestrian

safety is an interdisciplinary undertaking that will require communication among agencies.

Resources

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Ontario

3.6 EVALUATION

Evaluation of the physical walking environment and behaviour plays a crucial role in problem identification and countermeasure selection. However, on-going evaluation of plans, programs, and practices that support and improve conditions for walking is equally important. In order to truly understand the needs and safety issues of walkers, evaluation needs to happen formally and informally on an on-going basis.

Data Collection

Rationale: While Census data can shed some light on national mode share and travel

behaviour, they do not necessarily reflect local trends. The best way to estimate the

numbers of people who walk in a particular city or town is to conduct frequent,

comprehensive counts of walkers on your streets. Local counts allow municipalities to

understand where, when, and how often people are walking in a community. This can help

when determining how to prioritize walking improvements. Walk counts can also help

communities evaluate if infrastructure treatments or other programs have affected walking

volumes.

219. Does your community have an ongoing program to count and/or survey walkers that

allows for long-term trend analysis of walking trips?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe when the program began, the frequency of counts, number of sites,

counter/surveyor training or recruitment activities, methods used, etc. (300-word limit)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Evaluation Tools

Rationale: Audits can help with pre/post evaluation of a particular roadway or traffic

calming project. They should be conducted on a regular basis by a team of agency

representatives to identify problems and countermeasures/solutions to make walking

safer, more convenient, and enjoyable. It is very important that the audit team is comprised

http://www.cptedontario.ca/

85

of individuals with diverse backgrounds (such as engineering, planning, health, and law

enforcement as well as citizens and persons with disabilities) to ensure that the audit will

be comprehensive in nature and that the necessary solutions can be implemented.

While agencies often evaluate the impact of a project or development on auto traffic with a

traffic impact assessment, other modes may not be considered. Road projects of any size

can have serious implications for walkers; your community should include them in any

assessment.

220. Has your community used any of the following tools to evaluate major walking areas (town

centers, major activity areas, routes to school, etc.) in order to identify problem areas and

potential solutions? Check all that apply and provide a brief description of how, when, and

where these tools have been used.

a) Tracking systems to record the number of children walking to school

______________________________________________________________________________

b) Walkability Checklists

______________________________________________________________________________

c) Walk audits

______________________________________________________________________________

d) Pedestrian Intersection Safety Index

______________________________________________________________________________

e) Pedestrian Level of Service (LOS) tools

______________________________________________________________________________

f) Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists or other audit instruments

______________________________________________________________________________

g) Health Impact Assessments

______________________________________________________________________________

h) Smart Growth Scorecards

______________________________________________________________________________

86

i) Web-based or smartphone applications for resident feedback and input

______________________________________________________________________________

j) Surveys to evaluate the efficacy of education and awareness campaigns

______________________________________________________________________________

k) Impact assessments of all transport projects on walking, including health, environmental, and

social factors. For example, what are the costs and benefits of investing in walking?

______________________________________________________________________________

l) None of the above

______________________________________________________________________________

m) Other - please describe

_____________________________________________________________________________

221. Does your community routinely conduct pre- and post-evaluations of road projects and

traffic calming initiatives with respect to pedestrian collisions, volumes of pedestrian and

vehicle traffic, and vehicle speeds?

Yes No

a) If yes, please describe. (100 word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

Resources

iCanWalk checklist (Canada Walks)

Also available in French

A great way to collect data on how walkable your community is perceived by residents and

identify areas for improvement

Walkable Community Checklist Report (Healthy Living Niagara)

An example of using the iCANwalk checklist to generate a useful report assessing community

walkability

Make Walking Count: http://www.measuring-walking.org/newsite/index.php

Methods for Counting Pedestrians

A research paper from Walk21 Vancouver listing the advantages and disadvantages of different

methods for counting pedestrians

SMART Congestion Relief (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

http://icanwalk.ca/files/upload/brochure_ENG_withlogos_cover_Rev.pdf

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CC0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthylivingniagara.com%2Ffiles%2Ffolders%2F776%2Fdownload.aspx&ei=uAeGT9z1Iebi0QGmypnzBw&usg=AFQjCNGNTLhSg9_LywsjeCklJwD_BcCkqw&sig2=aQiI3WT5VMt7DtrtJXVOYQ

http://www.measuring-walking.org/newsite/index.php

http://www.measuring-walking.org/newsite/documents/counts_resources/paper_walk21_%20th_schweizer.pdf

http://www.vtpi.org/cong_relief.pdf

87

This report examines the methods used to evaluate traffic congestion costs and the benefits of

various congestion reduction strategies. It describes various biases in current congestion

evaluation practices. It develops a more comprehensive evaluation framework which is applied

to four congestion reduction strategies: Roadway expansion, improving alternative modes,

pricing reforms, and smart growth land use policies.

Online TDM Encyclopedia - Measuring Non-Motorized Transport Section (Victoria Transport Policy

Institute)

Describes techniques of measuring and evaluation non-motorized travel, including walking

Online TDM Encyclopedia - Data Collection and Surveys Section (Victoria Transport Policy Institute)

The Data Collection and Surveys section of the Online TDM Encyclopedia has a wealth of

information on the measurement and evaluation of transportation demand management

programs, including walking

National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project USA: http://bikepeddocumentation.org/

Although this is a USA initiative, some of the downloads, for example "Data Collection

Instructions" contain great information on conducting pedestrian counts and surveys, including

the rationale

European Platform on Mobility Management (includes mode split data for 9 Canadian cities)

Ontario Trauma Registry

Can provide, upon request, detailed data on fatalities and serious injuries from 14 participating

sites across Ontario, including those to pedestrians - which establish Ontario trends

Rationale: Walk score will give a community a sense of its development density and the

diversity of land uses. While Walk Score analysis does not include all aspects of walkability,

the scores from places around town can indicate whether development and land use

patterns in a community support walking. A mix of land uses brings many other benefits in

addition to creating a more walk friendly place. One study8 found that in the typical

metropolitan area, a one-point increase in Walk Score was associated with an increase in

value ranging from $700 to $3,000 (U.S $) depending on the market.

222. Using Walk Score9, what is the average score for your city/town?

Car dependent (0-24)


Somewhat walkable (50-69)

Very walkable (70-89)

Walker’s paradise (90-100)

8 http://www.ceosforcities.org/work/walkingthewalk

9 http://www.walkscore.com/



http://walkfriendly.ca/wp-admin/Online%20TDM%20Encylopedia%20-%20Data%20Collection%20and%20Surveys%20Section%20(Victoria%20Transport%20Policy%20Institute)

http://bikepeddocumentation.org/

http://epomm.eu/tems/index.phtml

http://www.cihi.ca/CIHI-ext-portal/internet/en/document/types+of+care/specialized+services/trauma+and+injuries/services_otr

http://www.ceosforcities.org/work/walkingthewalk

http://www.walkscore.com/

88

N/A

a) What is the Walk Score for your municipal office?



Somewhat walkable (50-69)

Very walkable (70-89)

Walker’s paradise (90-100)

N/A

223. Please describe any other ways that your community evaluates the walking environment,

walking activity rates, and safety for walkers. (200 word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________

3.7 SUMMARY

224. What are the three primary reasons your city/town deserves a WALK Friendly designation?

(200 word limit, total)

1.

______________________________________________________________________________

2.

______________________________________________________________________________

3.

______________________________________________________________________________

225. How would your municipality leverage its designation as a walk friendly community to

make walking safer and increase the number of people walking? (200 word limit)

______________________________________________________________________________