The Issue

Pedestrian Injury and Death

The simple act of crossing the street in metro Atlanta is too risky - 64 pedestrians were killed here in 2001. Atlanta has been identified as the nation's twelfth most dangerous large metropolitan area for pedestrians. More than two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities in Georgia occur on neighborhood streets, which helps explain why pedestrian injury is the second leading cause of death for children aged five to nine.

Sedentary Lifestyles

American children now walk or bike 37 percent less than they did 20 years ago. Only 10 percent of all children walk to school. Neighborhoods no longer offer our children a safe environment to engage in routine physical activities, like walking, cycling, and playing, so its no surprise that Georgia is on the leading edge of the nation's epidemic of obesity. An alarming 25 percent of children and 58 percent of adults are overweight or obese in Georgia.

Air Pollution

Metro Atlantans drive more miles per capita than residents of nearly every other city in the United States. Due to over-dependence on automobiles, auto emissions have become a major contributor of ozone and particulates, pollutants that threaten human health. Poor air quality not only poses risks to human health; it also threatens our economic prosperity and is detrimental to the environment.

Barriers to Access

Sidewalks in metro Atlanta rarely meet the needs of people with disabilities, who make up nearly one-fifth of the American population. Despite federal requirements and long-passed deadlines, communities in metro Atlanta lack measurable goals, policies and action steps aimed at mitigating the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating in our transportation system.

Unfriendly Street Design

During the past fifty years, our streets have been designed for cars with very little consideration for meeting the needs of pedestrians. For guidance on street design, engineers turn to manuals that are inappropriate for urban streets, contain few details about pedestrian facilities, and assess the quality of a transportation facility solely by its level of service to automobiles. Design decisions have often resulted in higher traffic speeds and wider crossings than are appropriate in urban settings, as well as extensive areas of expensive urban land devoted to streets and parking.

Inadequate Funding

Despite the growing concern about pedestrian safety and access to transit in metro Atlanta, pedestrians are not getting their fair share of federal safety money. Less than 1.6 percent of the federal safety funds received by Georgia are used to eliminate pedestrian hazards or promote enforcement of laws protecting pedestrians. In addition, the Georgia Department of Transportation assigns only one full-time member of its 6000-person staff to pedestrian and bicycle issues for the entire state.

Lack of Enforcement

Motorists in metro Atlanta run red lights and cut off pedestrians in crosswalks with impunity. They also treat sidewalks as convenient parking lots. Many neighborhood streets have been turned into speedways by commuters determined to avoid congested arterial streets. Due to inadequate enforcement, motorists recognize they can usually get away with it.