An 82-year old woman was fined more than $100 for crossing the street against a DON’T WALK signal in the San Fernando Valley in California in April 2006. Though she started her journey during the WALK signal, she could not reach the opposite curb before the signal changed. One elderly neighbor resorts to calling a cab simply to cross the poorly designed street.
Incomplete streets a problem for older Americans
Even when roads have basic pedestrian facilities, they often do not consider the needs of the growing population of older Americans. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2025, the portion of Americans over 65 will increase from 12% to nearly 20%, totaling 62 million Americans. As people age, many give up driving for safety’s sake.
Unfortunately many roads do not provide safe alternatives to driving. Crossings are long, sidewalks are absent, and transit stops have no place to sit. A national poll found 47% of Americans over 50 said they could not cross main roads near their home safely. Almost 40% said their neighborhoods do not have adequate sidewalks, while another 55% reported no bike lanes or paths, and 48% reported no comfortable place to wait for the bus. In 2005, older Americans made up 20% of all pedestrian fatalities. Older Americans need the public right-of-way to better serve them by providing safe places to walk, bicycle, or board the bus, and by designing streets to better accommodate older drivers.
Incomplete streets breed isolation. More than 50% of older Americans who do not drive stay home on a given day because they lack transportation options. Non-driving seniors make 65 percent fewer trips to visit family, friends or go to church; many report they don’t like to ask for rides. Older Americans make just 8% of their trips on foot or bike – far less than in some European countries, where 50% of seniors’ trips use these active modes.
Complete Streets help create welcoming communities
Complete streets provide older persons with a variety of options for getting around, whether walking, taking public transit, or sharing rides with family and friends. One recent survey showed that 82% of older Americans surveyed consider public transportation to be a better alternative to driving, particularly at night. More than half (54%) of older adults who reported an inhospitable walking, bicycling and transit environment outside their homes said they would walk, bicycle, and take transit more if their streets were improved. A majority of older people support complete street policies. Research also shows that moderate exercise, such as walking and biking, contributes significantly to a healthy lifestyle.
A community with a complete streets policy considers the needs of older residents every time a transportation investment decision is made. Proven methods to create complete streets for aging pedestrians include retiming signals to account for slower walking speed, constructing median refuges or sidewalk bulb-outs to shorten crossing distances, and installing curb ramps, sidewalk seating and bus shelters with seating. Improved lighting, signage and pavement markings are among the measures that can benefit drivers of any age, but particularly older drivers. Roads in areas with many older residents are designed and updated to eliminate needless barriers and help everyone remain an active part of the community as they age.
[all citations are available in the downloadable files]
