Creating Safe Walkable Communities for Older Adults An

Creating Safe & Walkable Communities for Older Adults An academic-community partnership: UNC Highway Safety Research Center NC Healthy Aging Research Network The Greater Hendersonville Community

Project Goals l l l Create safer & more inviting neighborhood walking environments Use interviews & audits as catalysts for community action Evaluate strategies to improve senior pedestrian safety & walkability

Project Sponsors § Supported by cooperative agreements & resources from: § National Highway Traffic Safety Administration § N. C. Governors Highway Safety Program § N. C. Healthy Aging Research Network § Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Healthy Aging Research Network, Prevention Research Centers and Health Care and Aging Studies Branch) NC Healthy Aging Research Network

Presentation Objectives l l List factors affecting older pedestrian safety & mobility. Identify key community partners in creating safe & walkable communities. Explore methods for assessing safety & walkability. Discuss strategies for improving routes.

Older Adult Safety & Mobility l Older adults encouraged to walk, but… l At increased risk l Falls l Injury from motor vehicles l Other concerns l Personal safety l Places to rest l Access to bathrooms

Addressing the Gaps l More attention to urban settings l Focus on destination-driven walking l Little attention to user variation l Walkable for whom? l Safe for whom? l Emphasis on new construction l Lack of clarity about assessment

Hendersonville Not all neighborhoods are created equal

Core Partners Henderson County Health Department

Engaging Partners l Build bridges l Community advisory group l Various sectors/levels often strangers to one another l Connect to existing initiatives l Livable and Senior Friendly Communities l Bi-Peds l l l Ensure visibility of all Stress collaboration Evaluate progress

10 neighborhoods § High proportion older residents § Gather resident input § Select routes § Audit routes § Identify needed changes

Assessing Neighborhoods l Perceptions of residents l Interviews l Surveys l Neighborhood & community meetings l Judgments of residents, officials & experts l Audits

Feedback from Residents l Unclear who to call about problems l Garbage cans on sidewalk l Vehicles parked on sidewalks l Overgrown shrubs l l Lack of restrooms & benches Unfriendly or aggressive drivers Sidewalks not wide enough for wheelchairs or scooters Cut-through traffic in neighborhoods

Requests from Residents l l l Tell us who to call for problems. Advise us how to have input into decision-making by the city. Help us create one safe route in our neighborhood.

Audits l PRC-Healthy Aging Network Audit Tool l l l l Land use Destinations Walkways Street characteristics Aesthetic & social environment Intersection traffic & facilities Feet-First Neighborhood Audit Walk-Wise Photo Audit l Street-level detail of all problems

Hyman Heights Neighborhood

HAN-PRC Healthy Aging Network Audit Tool l Segment data l l l l Land use Destinations Walkways Street characteristics Aesthetic & social environment Intersection traffic & facilities Trained data collectors

Strengths & Limitations l l Useful for research Ignores walkability of areas without sidewalks May lack resident input Variable specificity for change l Intersection component suggests action

Feet First Neighborhood Walk l Residents & knowledgeable leader l l l l Residents DOT City planner Public works director Transportation engineer Aging services Promotes discussion l Relative importance of issues l Potential solutions

Feet First Report

Walk Wise Photo Audit Identify problems Assess risk Recommend action Track changes

Hyman Heights Problems l l 16 segments & intersections Pavement issues l Sidewalk discontinuities – 31 l Cracks, bumps, pits – 13 l Bad or missing curb ramps – 4 l Crossing issues l Faded crosswalks – 2 l No crosswalk – 2 l Unsafe crossing – 1 l Obstacles - 16 l Risks l Highest – 1 l High – 28 l Moderate - 18

Information from Audits l Numerous street-level problems l l l Sidewalk discontinuities Poor curb cuts Many places with no sidewalks All especially problematic for people with functional challenges Most problems amenable to city repair Some dependent on homeowner education/action

Action Plan l Education l Educate professional & lay community about safety & walkability factors l Broadly share information about pedestrian safety l Enforcement support l Discourage motorist actions that endanger pedestrians l Monitor unsafe areas l Environmental changes l Make sidewalk & crosswalk improvements l Encouragement l Work with partners to increase walking in community

Kickoff l l l Jackson Park: Saturday, May 13, 2006 Media event Group walks for people of all levels

Educational Activities l Safe Routes for Seniors l Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center l April 6, 2006, Library l Feet First Neighborhood Walking Audit l David Levinger, President of Feet First l Apr. 10, 2006, Audit US 25 & Hyman Heights neighborhood l Community Forum- Walking Audit Results l Apr. 11, 2006, City Operations Center

Educational Activities l l Safe walking & driving brochures Support of AARP/ASA Car Fit Events l April 2007 Trinity Presbyterian Church (with Park Ridge Hospital) l May 2007 Blue Ridge Mall

Enforcement Activities l l l Engage city police Use of speed trailers Increased monitoring of problem areas

Environmental Changes l l l Photo audits of routes in target neighborhoods Audits/recommendations sent to Public Works for repairs Routes to be stenciled when completed

Environmental Work in Progress l Sidewalk improvements in “Downtown” neighborhood

Environmental Work in Progress l New mid-block crossing signs l Main Street l Connecting parking lot & library

Changing Driver Behavior l l Yard signs Traffic rerouting

Changing Driver Behavior l Incentives to motorists to drive carefully & courteously around pedestrians l Prizes l Postcards for drawing

Encouraging Safe Walking l l Incentives for safe walking Sponsored group walks l Parks l Trails l Neighborhoods l Growing participation

Helping People Get Started l Active Aging Week l September 2006 l September 2007 l l Opportunities to reach inactive people or who want to try something new Collaboration with AARP & Senior Center Walking Programs

Lessons Learned l l Tremendous community interest Great receptivity by City officials Good results from bringing key organizations together Everyone --old, young, people with special needs -- wins!

Evaluation Plan l Analysis of pre and post: l crash and injury data l enforcement data l environmental audit data l NEWS surveys l Communications audits

www. walk-wise. org

Contact Information l Rebecca Hunter l rhh@med. unc. edu l William Hunter l bill_hunter@unc. edu l Michele Skeele l mskeele@coahc. net One step at a time to safer walking!