Austin makes list of “walk friendly” cities

Only Texas city to make it

Marci Gilbert, May 04, 11.

Austin is the only Texas city on a new list by The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) of “walk friendly” cities, according to a story in Walk Friendly.

Pedestrian injuries and fatalities remain alarmingly high in the U.S. at the same time that there is an increasing groundswell of support for active transportation across the country. Communities are channeling this support for livability and taking advantage of the many benefits of walking — improved safety, environmental and personal health, reduced traffic congestion, enhanced quality of life, and economic rewards.

In an effort not only to recognize but to motivate walk friendly communities, applicants learn best practices through participating in the application process. Applicants use a web-based program that asks a comprehensive set of questions and provides communities with feedback and ideas for promoting pedestrian safety and activity. The questions examine engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and planning. Officially launched in October 2010, the WFC program is funded by FedEx and the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

“The Walk Friendly Communities program empowers communities to make a long-lasting social impact. It does this by providing the tools for communities to assess their own walkability and create plans for change,” said Rose Flenorl, Manager of FedEx Global Citizenship. “Every day, more than 80,000 FedEx vehicles are on the road, sharing the streets with pedestrians. FedEx has developed highly advanced safe driving practices over the past 35 years, but it is not enough. By supporting Walk Friendly Communities, FedEx helps communities create access to safer, more walkable roadways. We are proud to be a sponsor of the Walk Friendly Communities program.”

Platinum Level
Seattle, Washington

Gold Level
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Arlington, Virginia
Hoboken, New Jersey
Santa Barbara, California

Silver Level
Charlottesville, Virginia
Decatur, Georgia

Bronze
Austin, Texas
Charlotte, North Carolina
Flagstaff, Arizona
Wilsonville, Oregon