Philadelphia Awarded Silver Walk Friendly Communities Designation

Philadelphia, September 22, 2011- The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has designated Philadelphia as a Silver Walk Friendly Community for its walkability initiatives and programs. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and FedEx, Walk Friendly Communities is a national program to recognize communities for their commitment to pedestrian safety. With 1.53 million people, Philadelphia is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. and has one of the most walkable downtowns in the nation. One fourth of all trips in the City are made on foot.rnrn“Philadelphia is a great place to walk for residents, commuters and visitors,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “I would like to thank The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center for recognizing our city’s ongoing commitment to creating a great walkable city. A more walkable Philadelphia makes for a healthier, safer and more sustainable city.”rnrnPhiladelphia adopted its first Pedestrian Plan last fall, and a second phase is in progress. In recent years, the Streets Department has made significant efforts to improve pedestrian safety including: converting 535 signalized intersections to all-way stops. This effort alone resulted in more than 50 percent reduction in injury related crashes. Additionally, the Streets Department has expanded the use of countdown pedestrian signals across Philadelphia and piloted numerous innovative traffic calming strategies.rnrnPhiladelphia is among ten communities recognized in the latest round of Walk Friendly Communities announced. The Walk Friendly Community designation, awarded from bronze, to silver, gold and the highest designation of platinum, is given to applicant communities that have demonstrated a commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies. To date, 21 communities in the U.S. have been designated as Walk Friendly Communities.rnrnFor more information on Walk Friendly Communities, please visit http://www.walkfriendly.org.