MEAN STREETS 2000: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, HEALTH AND FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SPENDING

Walking in the United States is a dangerous business. Per mile traveled, pedestrians are 36 times more likely to die in a collision than drivers. In this report the Surface Transportation Policy Project examines the pedestrian safety problem through analysis of federal safety, health, and spending statistics. This report identifies the cities where pedestrians are most at risk, finding that sprawling communities that fail to create safe places to walk are the most dangerous. It documents how the dangers of walking in automobile-dominated areas is driving pedestrians off the street. People are taking far fewer trips by foot, because walking has become unsafe and inconvenient in so many places. This means a growing number of people are facing another type of danger: the health conditions and diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle. This report also shows that only minimal federal transportation resources have been devoted to making walking safe and convenient. The final chapter outlines solutions that can make walking not only safe, but attractive and convenient.