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News Archive

A collection of past news items that were featured on our site.

10,000 Steps a Day
Ultimately, everyone's goal is to increase their physical activity energy expenditure to about 300-400 kilocalories per day to achieve the most health benefits.
» Read more
Uptown Scores on Walkability
Lucky residents of Hillcrest, Kensington and Park West likely have better health, breathe cleaner air, interact more often with their neighbors and are even gentler on the environment.
» Read more
Walking, Biking, and Transit - It's a Gas!
Skyrocketing fuel costs have everyone scrambling for alternatives to hopping in the car. Here's WALKSanDiego's list of suggestions:
» Read more
2009 Golden Footprint Award Winners
» View photos from the 10th Anniversary Gala honoring our 2009 Golden Footprint Award Winners, including San Diego City Council President Scott Peters (Ret.) for his Vision and Leadership in bringing about the La Jolla Boulevard Revitalization Project.
2006 WalkSanDiego Golden Footprints Awards
On November 15, 2006, WalkSanDiego presented its fourth annual Golden Footprints Awards at the San Diego Downtown Information Center. These awards honor individuals, projects and organizations who are leading the way to a more walkable region. Presenting the awards for WalkSanDiego was Andy Pendoley, President of WalkSanDiego. Awards were presented in four categories: Government Agency, Project or Program, Non-Profit Organization, and Individual.
» Read more
Technology and Pedestrians Form a Bond
Got some time to walk, but not sure where to go? A European company can help you out with its new "Amble Time" pedestrian system being developed.
» http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/ 2986655.stm
Today in Rotten History (first traffic fatality)
London, Aug 17, 1896
Bridget Driscoll, a 44-year-old mother of two, becomes the world's first automobile fatality when she steps in front of a car outside the Crystal Palace in London. At the coroner's inquest, Arthur Edsall states he had been driving at only 4 mph. The motorist also claims that when he saw the pedestrian, he rang his bell and shouted "Stand back!" For whatever reason, the coroner accepts Edsall's preposterous story." The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death" after an inquest lasting some six hours. The coroner said: "This must never happen again." No prosecution.
Warning: vehicles will make you fat
Ellen Goodman | The Boston Globe | February 7, 2004
» http://www.postwritersgroup.com/ archives/good0205.htm
Streets perilous for walkers
Mean Streets report shows pedestrians more endangered; safety spending lags
A report by the nationally-based Surface Transportation Policy Project, released in December 2004, shows that walking is 15 times more dangerous than riding in a car or airplane, and 27 times more dangerous than riding public transit. The report reveals that, in the last 10 years, pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the San Diego region have increased 9.2% relative to the number of walkers. At the same time, the San Diego region spends just 33 cents per capita per year on pedestrian and bicycle safety, less than half the national average of 82 cents.
» more
WalkSanDiego Bestows "Golden Footprints Awards"
On Thursday evening, February 24, 2005, WalkSanDiego, the region's pedestrian safety watchdog group, presented its Third Annual Golden Footprints Award winners. The winners were celebrated at WalkSanDiego's annual Golden Footprints Awards Night, a gathering of the groups members and others working on pedestrian safety, traffic calming, and other initiatives to make the region's communities more walking-friendly.
» more
Even Autoholics Can Help Themselves: a 12-step Help Program
Ready to take a stand against excessive automobile use?
» http://www.carbusters.org
Obesity: Is personal responsibility the answer?
» more
New Study Finds Links between Community Design and Weight, Physical Activity and High Blood Pressure
» more
"Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy; The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating" by Walter C. Willett, M.D.
Book Review by Marcia Banks
I LOVE this book!
» more

The Rebirth of Green America
By Richard Louv
The city of Davis now requires new developments to be connected to a greenway/bikeway system that extends through the city. "An important objective is that elementary school children be able to travel by bike from their homes to schools and parks without having to cross major roads."
» more
Look who's walking
45 percent of those that work in downtown Toronto, Canada walk to work, 32 percent use public transit and only 23 percent using their car. But, it's not a walk in the park if you are a pedestrian in Toronto.
» more
Pedestrian danger rises in county - Area is 28th among 50 biggest in U.S.
San Diego County ranked 28th in pedestrian danger on the study's list of the 50 largest metropolitan areas.
» more
San Diego: Could it be America's most walkable city?
In late July, the superintendent of Murrieta Valley Unified School District in sprawling Riverside County issued a press release recommending that students attending Vista Murrieta High School avoid walking to school.
» more
National Trails Day: June 5, 2004
On June 5, 2004, trail enthusiasts from all over San Diego County will join together to celebrate National Trails Day (NTD). National Trails Day brings awareness to trails, along with their many pleasures and health benefits.
» more
National Survey Results: Must Integrate Community Planning and Public Health
» more
Walking the talk from New York to San Diego
San Diego Union Tribune columnist, Richard Louv, tells about "Walking the talk from New York to San Diego."
» more
Walk/Bike California 2003
California Walks (of which WalkSanDiego is a member) and the California Bicycle Coalition are accepting registrations for Walk/Bike California 2003, a how-to conference for engineers, planners, elected officials, advocates, and citizens. The conference will be held in Oakland on October 15-18, 2003.
» Get more information at www.walkbikecalifornia.net.
Death By Sprawl
On a statistical basis, what's most likely to get you killed in the next year?
» more...
San Diego Ranks 2nd to New York in Pedestrian Danger
A new report finds San Diego ranks second to New York in percent of traffic fatalities that are pedestrians.
» Read about it here...
National Poll Shows Americans Eager to Walk More and Support Spending on a Better Walking Environment
A new national survey released today on attitudes toward walking finds that Americans want to walk more places more often, and are willing to invest in making it possible. The poll was conducted by the Washington, DC-based Surface Transportation Policy Project.
» To read more, click here
» For a full report of the study, click here
» For a STPP "Walking in California" fact sheet, click here.
Oakland Unveils Pedestrian Master Plan
Oakland's new Pedestrian Master Plan (August 2002) represents an important step towards inclusion of pedestrians in the urban transportation planning process here in California. At www.walkinginfo.org, under Exemplary Pedestrian Plans.
» For the full WSD article, click here.
Seattle: Sidewalk Deficiencies are Manageable
Where a city council should be investing in sidewalks is a topic discussed in a fascinating report published last year by the Federal Highway Administration. The report is titled, An Analysis of Factors Contributing to "Walking Along Roadway" Crashes: Research Study and Guidelines for Sidewalks and Walkways.
» Full text (50-page PDF) at: http://www.walkinginfo.org/pdf/r&d/SidewalkReport.pdf
Sidewalks, etc.
Sidewalks are the topic of a couple of recent newspaper articles, one in the Washington Post ("Activists Pave Way for Foot Traffic", December 14, 2002) and another in the New York Times ("Whose Sidewalk Is It, Anyway", January 5, 2003).
» For WSD's insights and analysis, click here.
WalkSan Diego Holiday 2002 Fundraiser a Smash!
» Click here for the story and photos...
WalkSanDiego's Accomplishments in 2001 and Goals for 2002
are highlighted in our 2001 Annual Report.
» Click here to view/download...
Lennar Joins WalkSanDiego
Lennar Communities, a major developer both locally and nationally, has joined WalkSanDiego as a corporate member, at the $500 level.

Thanks go to Vice-President Mark Rohrlick, the company's champion for walkable community design, and the passionate promoter of the 600-home Bressi Ranch development recently approved in Carlsbad.

WalkSanDiego supported Bressi Ranch as the most deliberately pedestrian-friendly community development approved in North County in two generations.

Walk
SanDiego Chair Jamie Moody commented,"Mark Rohrlick knows as much about pedestrian-oriented design as any planner we've encountered. We are delighted to welcome Lennar Communities as a member."

The Bressi Ranch design was created by the New Urbanist firm, Peter Calthorpe Associates, of San Francisco. Information on Bressi Ranch is available at www.bressiranch.com.
Mobility 2030 Hearing: WalkSanDiego Testifies
City Council Considers Villages: WalkSanDiego testified September 23 at the City of San Diego's City Council hearing on the City of Villages growth strategy. The strategy is an amendment to the city's General Plan, which guides future growth.
» Click here for the story and photos...
» Click here to read the testimony of WalkSanDiego's Andy Hamilton...
San Diego to Phase In Brighter Street Lights
WalkSanDiego Testifies On Behalf of Pedestrians
February 27, 2002
The San Diego City Council voted 6-3 to replace orange-tinted street lights installed 20 years ago...with brighter lights that allow partially sighted pedestrians to see better.
» Click here for the full story...
Pacific Beach Traffic Islands: A Missed Opportunity
After hearing WalkSanDiego's Dave Schumacher and Andy Hamilton on KPBS radio in January 2001, a Pacific Beach resident asked us to attend a community meeting the next evening to discuss troublesome Beryl Street. Residents have long complained of speeding commuters using this straight, wide residential street as a shortcut route.
» Click here for the full story...
Angst Over 50-Year Old Jacarandas
On May 1st, three mature jacaranda trees on Ash Street were cut down without the required permits, causing an uproar among city officials, tree enthusiasts and pedestrian advocates.
» Click here for the full story...
Help Move Along Bike and Pedestrian Legislation
Senate Bill 1555, intended to promote safer conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists and to encourage more Californians to participate in walking and cycling, is making its way through the legislature.
» Click here to read more...
» Click here to send an e-mail to Senator Dede Alpert in support of the bill.
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