NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE

WHEREAS, there are over 5,000 pedestrian and bicyclist deaths and 80,000 injuries every year in this country; and

WHEREAS, cities are striving to better accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists in order to improve urban livability and safety; and

WHEREAS, pedestrians and bicyclists compete with motorized vehicles for roadways and represent a significant portion of traffic injuries and fatalities; and

WHEREAS, pedestrian safety can be enhanced by adherence to existing laws and regulations such as traffic signals, signs, and speed regulations; and

WHEREAS, the growing concentration of vehicle traffic in urban areas points toward an increase in pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, nationally, 69% of the pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and injuries happened on local streets and roads, constituting a serious public health problem; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with many other federal agencies, has an objective to reduce pedestrian deaths on public roads from the current 1.7 per 100,000 to no more that 1.0 per 100,000 people; and

WHEREAS, pedestrian safety and motorist awareness can be improved through the implementation of low cost, high impact programs such as crosswalk identification with pavement markings, attention getting signs and pedestrians signals; and

WHEREAS, the current edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), recently published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), permits the use of either yellow or fluorescent yellow green color for pedestrian, school and bicycle crossing signs, potentially causing confusion to motorists; and

WHEREAS, new studies have shown the fluorescent yellow green signs a most effective signage available in helping to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities at non-motorized crossings,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports a transition to fluorescent yellow green as the MUTCD's uniform standard for non-motorized crossings; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls for the establishment of a new partnership initiative, known as the National Pedestrian Safety Partnership Initiative, to bring together mayors, other local officials, state and federal officials and their agencies, in partnership with educators, non-profit groups and private sector entities, to promote increased pedestrian, school and bicycle safety; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conference urges that this National Pedestrian Safety Partnership Initiative place particular emphasis on signage and other safety improvements at school-related crossings, in conjunction with Walk a Child to School Day, targeting the start of school in Fall 2002; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Conference calls upon the Congress and Administration, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the states, including their state highway and transportation departments, to give pedestrian, school and bicycle safety increased priority in the allocation of federal TEA-21 safety funding in proportion to the severity of the problem and to deliver funding directly to local governments, where possible, for these purposes.