San Francisco's Pedestrian Safety Task Force held its first meeting in March. Inspired by feedback from Oakland's town hall meetings, Oakland's new Pedestrian Access and Safety Task Force meet for the first time this Wednesday. 

Why the sudden interest in the safety of walking?

Transportation advocates and public health officials would say that it's about time. These professionals measure pedestrian safety in fatalities, and San Francisco and Oakland have the highest pedestrian fatality rates in the State of California.

In 2000, 67.3 percent of people that died in traffic accidents in San Francisco were pedestrians. In Oakland that number is only 39 percent, but that's still above the national average for urban areas (30 percent) and three times higher than the overall national average (13 percent).

Walking isn't equally dangerous for everyone. Seniors are more likely to be hit by a car and are most likely to die from their injuries. African-American pedestrians are 2.5 times more likely to be injured or killed than Caucasians, even though African-Americans comprise only 30 percent of the population.

Not all roads are equally dangerous, either. The city of Oakland's Pedestrian Master Plan documents the locations of pedestrian/vehicle collisions between 1996 and 2000 (the city is due to update the report in the next few years).

Number of pedestrian/vehicle collisions per road mile

1. International Boulevard, 26.2
2. Fruitvale Avenue, 20.1
3. Franklin Street, 19.8
4. Foothill Boulevard, 18.0
5. Telegraph Avenue, 17.5
6. Broadway, 15.5
7. 35th Avenue, 13.4
8. High Street, 13.3
9. Grand Avenue, 13.2
10. Webster Street, 12.8

Looking at this map, does your neighborhood look walkable?

From the Oakland Pedestrian Master Plan, SWITRS

Non-vehicle accidents

Pedestrians aren't just at risk from cars. Most months, the City Council agrees to a settlement with someone for a "trip and fall" accident on a sidewalk. In the last five years, the city has distributed $2,379,547 in 42 settlements. "Upraised" sidewalks cost Oakland $219,500 in March 2011 alone.

Locations of "trip and fall" accidents that resulted in a City of Oakland settlement. Source: City of Oakland

These new task forces certainly have their work cut out for them, but where to start? Everyone walks, and there are several ways to approach pedestrian safety: safe routes to schools, safe routes to transit, ADA compliance, urban pathways and trails and more.

Either way, how will these new projects be funded? In the state of California, travel by foot or bike comprises 12 percent of trips, 20 percent of fatalities, but only 0.06 percent of transportation funding. Given the city, state and global economy, it's unlikely that new funds for pedestrian projects will materialize soon.

Fortunately, Oakland is a creative city. Neighbors are using the redevelopment of the Safeway at Broadway and Pleasant Valley Road to push for sidewalk and crosswalk improvements. The proposed East Bay Bus Rapid Transit project, while a transit project at the surface, also would improve crosswalks and calm traffic on both International Boulevard and Telegraph. Many residents, like those attending the mayor's town halls these past few months, know the phrase "traffic calming" and how to demand it around their homes and schools.

Pedestrian safety advocacy is becoming less pedestrian.