I meant to send a short response to Anne's post about ped safety programs to bikies but sent it to her only instead.  Below is a more detailed response from John Bauer from the Safe Communities Coalition about what is going on to improve the safety of peds in town.


From: john bauer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 10:14 AM
To: Steve Meiers; Ann Freiwald
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Bikies] Something Madison should do?

Ann and Steve,
 
The Safe Community Coalition and Arthur Ross, Madison's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Coordinator have been working closely with Dave Schlabowske, Milwaukee's Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator, on what is called the "StreetShare" program. That is the program the article refers too. The Safe Community Coalition and City of Madison are partners with this effort to make streets safer for all users. 
 
Ann, I agree with you it would be great if Mayor Dave would bring greater attention to the need for motorists to follow the state law requiring drivers to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks. In 2005 the Safe Community Coalition completed a study and found less than 2% of drivers in the Madison area complying with the law. 
 
As Steve is aware the Madison Police Dept., with financial support from the WI Dept. of Transportation, created two versions of a 10-12 minute traffic safety training video and accompanying quiz in 2005. One version is for law enforcement personnel and the other is for business fleet drivers and the general community. All Madison police dept staff have viewed the video and received an in-service on traffic laws. The officers are being asked to "model" the practice of yielding the right of way to pedestrians. In addition, with funding from the pedestrian safety grant the Safe Community Coalition is coordinating copies of the video have been provided to all other law enforcement agencies located in Dane County. The UW Campus, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Middleton and Fitchburg police departments are all using the video.
 
As examples the community version is being used by Madison Metro and the Madison Taxi Company to train their drivers. The 4 Lakes Driving School is using the video and quiz with their students and experts 1500 students to be trained with the material by the end of 2006.
 
The StreetShare program includes a newly created brochure that Dave expects to have back from the printer this week. He will be providing the Safe Community Coalition with 2000 copies for use in Dane County. In addition, the Safe Community Coalition will be modifying the brochure specifically for use in Madison and Dane County. The brochure includes a four point pledge we will be using in the Madison area to encourage drivers to yield to pedestrians, etc.
 
The pedestrian safety grant I am coordinating includes funding for education/enforcement efforts by law enforcement agencies. Currently I am working with the Madison, Stoughton and Sun Prairie Police Dept.'s to develop enforcement plans that will be implemented this summer/fall.  This will be very similar to the Milwaukee education and enforcement efforts.   
 
We are making progress, but still have a long way to go to impact the driving culture in our community.
 
John Bauer
Safe Community Coalition     
 
   

Steve Meiers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
The Traffic Enforcement Unit of  PD does occasional actions emphasizing yielding to pedestrians.  An officer will walk across the street and if someone does not yield to them an officer down the road will issue a citation.  The Safe Communities Coalition is also working on a yield to peds effort primarily with senior citizens downtown.  Part of the program also involves training of fleet drivers- buses, cabs, delivery vehicles and so forth


From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ann Freiwald
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 9:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Bikies] Something Madison should do?

 
Just making sure you saw this article, and wondering if Mayor Dave  should do this?
 
Ann Freiwald, ASLA
Project Manager
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
608-441-3580
Please visit us at www.saa-madison.com
 
SAA is proud to be the recipient of two 2006 WASLA awards for our work in Galena, IL and Burlington, WI, as well as a WAPA award for our work on Union Corners Redevelopment in Madison, WI.
 
*This message and all accompanying documents are covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510-2521, and contain information intended for the specified individual(s) only. This information is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the content of this information is prohibited. If you received this transmission in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the original message.
 
 
 
 


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