The ‘Walkability’ of towns and cities is often a topic of conversation today. There are economic, environmental and health benefits for communities where people are comfortable walking. What does this mean for the city of Bowling Green?
For the past century, our town map has been a grid of intersecting roads set up for road traffic. Motor vehicles can travel expediently through town. The traffic lights downtown are synchronized to help road traffic – cars, trucks and vans – travel quickly without interruption. Today, these lights still focus on road traffic which leaves walkers, wheelchairs and others waiting on the curb, dodging vehicles turning (because lights for walkers and arrows for drivers light up together) or racing to find a safe time/place to cross the street.
Ohio law defines “traffic” as everyone traveling on the roads as well as all people traveling on the sidewalks (ORC 4511.01). Sidewalk traffic is varied. Some folks opt to leave their cars at home, some cannot drive, and others don’t own a car. Walkers may be going to work, to school, medical appointments, getting groceries, or just going out for pleasure. Traffic on the sidewalk can include walkers, wheelchair users, scooters, strollers, cyclists and others.
In 2016 (9 years ago), our city made a commitment to put ‘Complete Streets’ in place. ‘Complete Streets’ means “a transportation network where everyone can travel safely, comfortably and in a timely fashion regardless of their age, disability or mode of transportation.” Some changes have been made in town that make sidewalk travel safer.
There are several Hybrid Pedestrian Beacons (HPB) along East and West Wooster and one on Sand Ridge Road near the Montessori school. Some sidewalks have been repaired and crosswalks painted. There is a big project along South Main to add a wide multi-use path. Each of these projects contribute to making our town more walkable.
Yet there remain areas in town that have no sidewalks. The downtown area still has traffic lights that do not prioritize sidewalk users. People walking must wait and wait and then dodge cars turning. Efforts to provide ‘Complete Streets’ for everyone have been slow and many intersections remain unsafe even though Ohio Law supports safe travel for all or ‘Complete Streets’. Our Ohio Revised Code (ORC) has laws related to road and sidewalk traffic. Ohio Pedestrian laws are summarized below.
- ORC 4511.01 defines ‘traffic’ as everyone traveling on the road or on the sidewalk. When laws refer to “traffic”, it refers to walkers, wheelchairs, strollers, cyclists, trucks, cars, vans, e-bikes and others who travel around town on the road or on the sidewalk.
- ORC 4511.01 defines Right of Way as the right of all ‘Traffic’ on foot (on the sidewalk) or vehicle (on the road) to keep traveling lawfully and with minimal interruption.
- ORC 4511.13 prioritizes sidewalk users. At intersections without traffic lights or marked crosswalks – pedestrians or sidewalk users have the Right of Way. In the law, all intersections are crosswalks – marked or unmarked. At all intersections, sidewalk traffic has the Right of Way.
- ORC 4511.13, ORC 4511.41-43 states that at intersections with traffic lights – sidewalk traffic has the Right of Way when the Walk light is on. Cars turning left or turning right must stop, yield to sidewalk traffic – walkers, wheelchairs and others on the sidewalk before turning.
- OH law ORC 4511.48 clarifies that sidewalk traffic has the Right of Way at the entrances and exits of driveways, alleys and parking lots.
Studies have shown when a town or city implements a “Complete Streets” project the community’s attractiveness, the environmental well-being and personal health of the citizens all benefit. Individuals feel encouraged to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. Walkers are inclined to shop at nearby small businesses supporting the local economy. Sidewalk users do not need parking spaces, reducing the amount of impermeable and extensive surfaces of parking lots that contribute to street flooding after heavy rains. Areas of sidewalk, grass, gardens and shade trees encourage walkers and allow for better drainage and reduce flooding. A high “Walkability” score for a house for sale (on a Zillow real estate listing) adds 5% or more value to the home. “Complete Streets” can reduce transportation costs overall when people walk, bike or ride transit to jobs, classes and healthcare.
Bowling Green is a college town; the area is geographically compact and flat. Many folks are able and willing to walk or bike where it is safe. In our town, we can make “complete streets” work. As drivers, we can be watchful of people needing to cross the street and stop for them. As sidewalk users, we can cross streets at intersections, catch a driver’s attention, show our intention to cross, assert our Right of Way and cross. As citizens, we need city government and law enforcement to support the right of all traffic (on the road and on the sidewalk) to travel safely and expediently. “Complete streets” can be a reality in every part of our town if citizens, city officials and law enforcement make it a priority.
Penny Evans-Meyer, BG
Christen Giblin, BG
Ann Beck, BG
