Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s Post

📰 I would like to share the latest article from the Urban Pioneers series by Eurocities which I found very interesting. In it, Petra Jens delves into what it means to be the Walking Officer of Vienna. The new role of Chief Walking Officer (CWO) is interesting due to its focus on enhancing pedestrian infrastructure and promoting walking as a primary mode of transportation. This role involves raising awareness of pedestrian needs, collaborating with diverse teams in communication, marketing, traffic planning, and public affairs, and engaging with citizens to improve walking conditions in the city. It plays a crucial role in advocating for pedestrian-friendly policies, securing funding for pedestrian infrastructure projects, and addressing challenges such as the integration of motorized vehicles into pedestrian spaces. 💡 This position serves as a model for other municipalities, highlighting the importance of investing in pedestrian infrastructure for public health, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion. 🔗 Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dGawFTgq

Tomorrow I will give a presentation, "Fair Share Active Transportation Planning" at the Active Transportation Summit (https://lnkd.in/gt9c35bK) in New Westminster, a suburb of Vancouver. It will discuss why and how communities should invest adequate resources into walking and bicycling facilities. It will integrate my report, "Fair Share Transportation Planning" (www.vtpi.org/fstp.pdf ) and "Evaluating Active Transport Benefits and Costs" (www.vtpi.org/nmt-tdm.pdf). My research indicates that improving and encouraging active travel provides large and diverse benefits, some of which are often overlooked or undervalued by advocates and planning. For example, improving walkability expands the range of parking spaces that can serve a destination, which can provide large savings and benefits. Similarly, improving walking and bicycling provides more independent mobility to non-drivers, reducing chauffeuring burdens and inefficiencies, since most chauffeuring trips generate empty backhauls, so transporting somebody one mile generates two vehicle-miles of travel. Let me know ([email protected]) if you want a copy of my slideshow.

Safe, connected places to ride can save lives. Research has shown that cities with protected bike lanes experienced 44% fewer fatalities for all road users and 50% fewer serious injuries compared to average cities. Since 2018, Peopleforbikes has released  a comprehensive ranking of cities based on the quality of their bike networks. This year’s City Ratings includes 2,300 U.S. cities, an increase of 816 cities over 2023. For the first time, the ratings also include 89 cities from the United Kingdom and 44 cities from Australia. Forty six more cities were rated across Europe, providing a view of how bike infrastructure is improving around the world. Join me in celebrating 2024’s best cities to bike and the cities going big for better biking for all! How does your city rank? PeopleForBikes https://lnkd.in/g8SZ37k6 Jordan Trout Jack Foersterling

Shaping Tomorrow's Cities: The Power of Bike-Friendly Infrastructure 🚲💪 At Donkey Republic, we believe in the power of sustainable urban mobility. Our recent study, in collaboration with fellow bike-sharing providers from the Cycling Industries Europe, has revealed the essential ingredients for successful bike-sharing in cities. Join us in our series on shaping tomorrow's cities! Over the next few weeks, we'll explore six essential aspects, and today, we're highlighting the first crucial point: Bike-Friendly Infrastructure. 🏙️ To create thriving bike-sharing ecosystems, cities must prioritize and invest in building bike-friendly infrastructure. This includes: 🚦 Traffic calmed streets 🚴 Dedicated bike lanes 🅿️ Bike parking 🔌 Charging infrastructure Please also join our webinar on September 26th, where we will delve more into all the points and learnings we have from our study. 📅🔍📚 #DonkeyRepublic #Everyridecounts #CIE #SustainableUrbanMobility #BikeFriendlyCities

Feb 13, 2024 /ITS International /By Adam Hill --Dublin's city center is set for a traffic makeover as authorities aim to limit private vehicle access. The proposed Dublin City Centre Transport Plan 2023 focuses on creating a low-traffic hub, prioritizing public transport, cycling, and walking. Key changes include banning private vehicles on the North and South Quays, reserving the space for buses, taxis, cyclists, and pedestrians. With lessons from reduced traffic during the pandemic, the plan aims to enhance public spaces, introducing green areas and fostering a city center less dependent on cars. This aligns with Dublin's broader city development plan, targeting a 40% traffic reduction and promoting sustainable transport. *Source: ITS International Image Source | (© paulohabreuf | pixabay)

Through collaborative efforts between local governments, international organizations, and engaged communities, the potential to shape cities that are accessible, inclusive, and fair becomes achievable. Explore the methods employed in the public space initiative within the vibrant city of #Fortaleza in #Brazil, #LatinAmerica. Discover the steps taken towards urban transformation and the power of collective action! ▶️loom.ly/D9S410c

One of the great sessions I attended this week at the annual Good Roads conference this week was the panel discussion on: “Pedaling Towards Sustainable Communities: Promoting Cycling & Active Transportation. Featuring Toronto’s Bicycle Mayor Lanrick Jr Bennett, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for Cycle Toronto Alison Stewart - Bilingual, David Shellnutt The Biking Lawyer LLP and Max McCardel from Safe System Solutions Pty Ltd. (all the way from Australia!). I took copious notes but some of the important points I took note of were: - how to work towards the goal (like some other jurisdictions) to promote cycling and active transportation for 75% of all trips under 5km (this should be easy for most communities in Chatham-Kent) -we do NOT need to prioritize vehicular traffic over everyone else - access to data is key, and now that organizations like Bike Share Toronto have this data, they can prove that there is a latent demand for bike infrastructure (that I think could be applied to many other communities) - you CAN cycle year round! ❄️ 🚴🏼 - the need to build a collective of people - staff, elected officials, local community advocates and other partners with shared objectives to move this forward - we cannot overlook the importance of equity in transportation when it comes to topics like cycling, walking & public transit. Not everyone can afford a car, so providing better and safer infrastructure for these options helps make travelling (to work and otherwise) better for all - this great quote from Alison: “we were all born pedestrians”! Thank you for the great discussion! I loved learning more about how municipalities can create more livable cities. #ckont #chathamkent #activetransportation #trafficsafety #cycling #walking #publictransit #goodroads

The report https://lnkd.in/eN_6euRA offers an insightful examination of active transportation, and it is gratifying to see our investigation into the structural violence associated with private automobility cited therein https://lnkd.in/eA3uvEMX.

The expansion plan for Boston's bike network offers several principles that can be valuable for any jurisdiction looking to improve its network: 👀 Look at what you already have. Impactful plans do not have to involve reinventing the wheel. Nearly every city, county, or jurisdiction has some type of infrastructure to build from. ⚡ You can move quickly. With quick-build projects, things move faster, and it allows you the flexibility to make changes to the design based on community needs and response. 💭 Think holistically. A connected network is worth more than the sum of its parts. Take a step back and think about your infrastructure as a whole—what gaps need to be closed to get people to everyday destinations. Learn about this Boston project here: https://lnkd.in/gwJrUwa9 #BikeNetwork #ActiveTransportation #Accessibilty #Sustainable