Advocacy

Advocacy

Walking is an essential part of our everyday lives.  Yet, it is often overlooked when it comes to planning and programming dollars. Prioritizing funding to support walking allows us to connect us to people, places and to other forms of transportation. 

Safe places for people to walk starts with everyone doing their part. We are all pedestrians, some of us when we leave the front door, others when we leave a car. Take a look at eight simple ways to make how we get around safer and easier for everyone.

We advocate to city council, sit on committees, write letters, hold crosswalk actions and support the annual Transportation Advocacy Day in Olympia. In 2009, we were instrumental in putting Safe Routes to School program into State Law. The Feet First legislative agenda is supported by the work of our Policy Committee comprised of board and experts in the field to help advance policies for people choosing to go by foot.

We support  jurisdictions who encourage walkable communities. Feet First created its first Walkable Communities Agenda in July, 2010. Find out more by contacting us.

We sit on numerous committees to incorporate walking in to plans and policies:

Alaska Way Viaduct South Portal
Seattle Schools Traffic Safety
Safe Kids
South Park Traffic Safety 
City of Seattle Road Safety Committee
King County Food and Fitness Initiative (KCFFI) 

Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program
As the Washington State Department of Transportation launched its Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program, we posed a number of questions  designed to determine the project's impact on vehicle traffic through the area, the character of the neighboring Pioneer Square area, and pedestrian travel. View the full text of the program administrator's answers to these questions.

For updates on current policy issue visit our blog. 

A Thank You to Drivers from Feet First

Feet First salutes the safe drivers who make our streets and sidewalks work for everyone. Take a look at our eight driving guidelines for walkable communities:

1. Give priority to pedestrians.  Yield to pedestrians at unmarked crosswalks. According to the legal definition of a crosswalk, there’s a crosswalk at every corner. Even when there are no signs or pavement marking, pedestrians have the right of way. Also, you must not proceed until pedestrians are either at the curb or one full lane away from you.      
                                                                                  

2. Create a wide margin for error.  When yielding to a pedestrian, always stop at least 30 feet before the crosswalk. This is less threatening to the pedestrian,  eliminates the multiple-threat crash risk, and it saves everyone time. Give pedestrians a full lane and be extremely cautious when turning left at signalized intersection.                          
                                                                  

3. Enforce the speed limit by setting the pace. Boise, Idaho invented the Neighborhood Pace Car Program in 2000. Since then other cities have created similar programs. Take look at Washington D. C.‘s program. Driving slower helps calm traffic – bring peace and dignity to the streets.                                                                                                          

4. Park responsibly.  Please do not play the parking lottery by stopping or parking on the sidewalk, blocking crosswalks or curb ramps, or pulling abruptly into or out of driveways. You can even download some notices to encourage good behavior among fellow drivers.      
       

5. Walk the short trips between destinations.  Many of the cars on the road are making short trips that are really unnecessary. If you’re driving for errands, get in some of your 30 minutes of daily physical activity and contribute to the human vitality of your city’s shopping districts, plus you’ll save time not having to look for parking!                                                                                                                  

6. Smile and wave.  Your smile and a simple wave can melt away the fear that your vehicle may stimulate in the mind of pedestrians. Refuse or remove any window tinting that makes your face less visible or interferes with your ability to see. UV-blocking only treatments are available.                                                                   

7. Choose a safe vehicle.  You may not know it, but outside the United States, vehicles are tested to determine how dangerous they are to pedestrians. Protect pedestrians and your own liability by purchasing a safe car. Look for the European New Car Assessment Program test results for crash information.      
                                                                                                                                                     

8. Be an advocate for pedestrians.  We are all pedestrians, however pedestrians have no paid lobby and no organized industry. Feet First works as your voice of advocacy to create a safer, more efficient transportation  system to serve the needs of all users. Get involved, become a Feet First member or volunteer your skills to help us achieve our mission.