| PBS Features PEDS' Concerns About Buford Highway |
Blueprint America, a PBS initiative exploring the state of the nation's infrastructure, is shining the spotlight on Buford Highway, Georgia's deadliest road for pedestrians.
 PEDS has asked the Georgia Department of Transportation to address Buford Highway's lack of safe crossings and high pedestrian fatality rate for over a decade. This film enables us to highlight these issues on a national stage. It also gives
the Georgia Department of Transportation an opportunity to explain -- after years of inaction -- where its
safety improvement plans stands. Don't miss this revealing show.Michael Orta, PEDS' Director of Community Education, worked closely with the Blueprint America film crew, participating in interviews, providing background and crash data and connecting reporters with government officials and people living along Buford Highway. A few weeks ago, PBS reporters were told, GDOT requested authorization to purchase additional right of way needed to install sidewalks on Buford Highway. Focusing a national lens on Buford Highway may be just what's needed to
bring safety
improvements there.  Watch Need to Know on July 23, 8:30pm: Comcast Channel 246 (GPB Knowledge)
DirecTV Channel 379 (PBS) Watch it online after July 23: Need to Know website Blueprint America website |
GDOT Replaces Flashing Lights with HAWKs on Buford Highway
|
In 2006 PEDS urged local and state engineers to install innovative HAWK signals at midblock crossings in the Chamblee area of Buford Highway. GDOT resisted and instead installed yellow flashing lights. The yellow lights confused drivers and walkers alike. Drivers didn't stop for flashing yellow lights. So pedestrians stopped pushing the buttons needed to activate them.
 GDOT is now replacing the failed yellow lights with four new HAWK signals. Officials at GDOT say the HAWK signals on Buford Highway should be fully operational by early August. Hey, better late than never.
HAWK signals are pedestrian-activated red beacons at mid-block crosswalks. The creative acronym comes from High-intensity
Activated
crossWalK. They're ideal for enabling pedestrians to get across wide, high-volume roads at locations where traditional traffic signals are not appropriate.
|
How Traffic Operations Impact People on Foot
|
 In our June 2010 e-newsletter, PEDS expressed concerns about the impact of the Atlanta Regional Commission's Strategic Regional Thoroughfare Plan (RSTP) and the Georgia Department of Transportation's Regional Traffic Operations Program (RTOP) on pedestrian safety and convenience.
In response, ARC asked Kofi Wakhisi, who heads RSTP, and Grant Waldrop, who is in charge of RTOP, to participate in ARC's July 21 Bicycle-Pedestrian Task Force meeting. The meeting will focus on the interaction between traffic operations, strategic thoroughfares, and pedestrian safety. PEDS encourages you to attend.
July 21, 10 - 11:30 AM
40 Courtland Street, Atlanta
Harry West Room (Level C) |
Job Opportunity: Pedestrian Safety Program Manager
|
 PEDS is seeking a Pedestrian Safety Program Manager with outstanding writing, public speaking and people skills. We need a change agent who is passionate about promoting walkability, pedestrian safety, transportation
choices, and healthy communities. Read the full job description here, and please share it with anyone you think would be interested.
|
