GEORGIA
Atlanta Area Community Building
Forum on Pedestrian Safety

 

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  High media visibility
Outstanding collaborative effort
  Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety
Diversity
OneDOT
       
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  City    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  General Population   3,500,000


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified the Atlanta metropolitan area as the nation's second most dangerous large metropolitan area for pedestrians. Between 1994 and 1998, Atlanta's pedestrian fatality rate increased 13 percent, while the national pedestrian fatality rate decreased by 9.6 percent. A total of 309 pedestrian fatalities occurred in the Atlanta area between 1994 and 1998. The city's pedestrian fatality rate (per 100,000) increased from 2.53 in 1994 to 2.85 in 1998. During the same period, the national pedestrian fatality rate decreased from 2.19 to 1.98. Males in Atlanta are three times more likely to suffer pedestrian fatalities than females, and African Americans and Hispanics are two and six times more likely than Whites, respectively, to die in pedestrian crashes.

Georgia's state health agency identified 11 one-mile corridors and ten intersections that are most dangerous for pedestrians. Researchers attribute Atlanta's unfriendly pedestrian environment on a number of factors, including lack of sidewalks and reckless behavior by both motorists and pedestrians. To address these pedestrian safety concerns, NHTSA and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) formed a OneDOT team to develop the Atlanta Area Community Building Forum on Pedestrian Safety.


GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Atlanta Area Community Building Forum on Pedestrian Safety, initiated in 1999, is to save lives and reduce the number of pedestrian injuries by:

  • Encouraging partnerships between Federal, state, county and city governments, and incorporating other partners
  • Heightening public awareness and education about pedestrian safety issues
  • Addressing pedestrian accommodations in the planning and engineering processes of land development
  • Enforcing pedestrian and driver laws


STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The One DOT team hosted a town hall meeting and invited representatives from the state and city transportation agencies, public health agencies, law enforcement leaders, civic leaders, and the authors of the pedestrian report from CDC. A community forum was established and One DOT Regional Administrators agreed to have NHTSA take the lead in project planning. The One DOT safety team, along with community volunteers, planned the agenda and speakers, and established a mailing list of the target audience. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was drafted and signed by all partners. The MOU coordinated an effort to reduce the number of pedestrian incidents in Atlanta, and establish a framework for continuous cooperation among key government officials and partners. It also outlined commitments between various local government agencies, so as to make the forum results-oriented.


RESULTS
The Atlanta Area Community Building Forum on Pedestrian Safety took place on October 19, 1999, with more than 300 participants. The event included panel discussions and presentations. At the press conference commencing the forum, a public service announcement campaign aimed at pedestrian safety and driver awareness was announced.

More than 100 Atlanta residents joined local coalitions to begin working on the critical action steps identified during the forum. A steering committee will be formed to oversee subcommittees developed around driver and pedestrian education, improved engineering, city planning, and enforcement of driver and pedestrian laws.

Training on pedestrian and driver laws for all city judges that hear traffic cases will begin immediately. The City of Atlanta is exploring a city ordinance for photo radar to assist law enforcement in deterring drivers and pedestrians from violating traffic laws.

 

FUNDING
  One DOT:
State:
$10,000
$3,000
CONTACT  
 

Connie Beasley
Regional Program Manager
NHTSA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street, SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562-3739


NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

FALL 1999