Early last month the 做厙勛圖 City Council adopted the Complete Streets policy, a commitment to building a safe, connected, and equitable transportation network to promote greater mobility for people of all ages and abilities in 做厙勛圖.
The new directive was two years in the making, involving city officials and the public with a grant from the American Heart Association. One of those involved in crafting the policy was Emily Yetman, executive director of the Living Streets Alliance. The local nonprofit organization, formed in 2011, aims to create awareness of unsafe streets and to push for wider, safer uses of city streets.
Living Streets said in a news release that an average of 4,000 people were injured and 52 people were killed on 做厙勛圖s streets each year between 2013-2017, across all modes of transportation. In recent years, people driving motor vehicles have represented more than half of these roadway fatalities.
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I sat down with Yetman at Exo Roast on North Sixth Avenue, near Living Streets office, to talk about the new policy developed through equity and health lenses. I edited her responses for clarity and brevity.
How will the policy affect 做厙勛圖s pedestrians, cyclists and motorists?
It can make a huge difference or no difference at all. Its really about how committed are the people who will be implementing it. Instead of this being a policy that looks good on paper we were able to work closely with a lot of different people at the city and from the community to be part of the conversation so that everyone can have a shared understanding and shared commitment of carrying this forward.
What does this policy call for?
It means that very time the city designs or repairs our streets, that were thinking about how we can make them better for everyone using them. Yes, good if youre in a car, but yes, good if youre on foot, if youre a person on a bike, if youre a person trying to use transit.
Its an opportunity and a directive to literally build safety into our streets going forward. Thats going to look different. It means were going to have to make trade-offs and decisions. If were going to ensure pedestrians safety, were going to have to slow down traffic here and there. As a parent whose kids walk to school, Im OK with that.
The other significant part is land use. Its saying lets look at the context of the area and design our streets accordingly and then make sure theres a network for every type of mode so if youre on a bike you have safe connections, if youre on foot youve got a good network to get around in, and if youre in a car you have that, too.
What do you attribute the increasing number of pedestrian and cyclists deaths to?
Distracted driving is a factor, but speed is a huge factor. For someone to get hit by a car going 25 mph, their chances of survival are good, and for every five-mile increment their chances go way down. Changing the speed limit by 5 mph can have tremendous impact on improved outcomes. If were not going as fast we have more time to react and respond. So speed coupled with distracted driving is a challenge.
Is there time to implement the new policy for the new Grant Road and Broadway alignments?
Thats up to the city how hard it wants to push. Complete Streets will apply to streets that are being designed now. It may be too late but its never too late (for Grant). Broadway is a can of worms.
What do you say to car-only 做厙勛圖ans who believe streets should be only for automobiles?
One way to think about it is that streets are shared public spaces. Im a taxpayer. Youre a taxpayer. This is something we all pay for. So therefore dont we all have the right to be safe and to use them? In terms of reinforcing democracy, streets are real important. Streets are social space, space we all use. But we need to stop thinking about special interests groups. We all need to get somewhere.
She points to a couple of examples in downtown 做厙勛圖 where cars, pedestrians and cyclists equally co-exist. One is at North Stone Avenue and West Council Street in front of the Pima County Consolidated Justice Court. Its an enhanced pedestrian crosswalk. One block with shade trees. Lots of pedestrians going back and forth. Thats a great example how to encourage everyone to use the street the right way and to create space for everyone.
The second is a temporary demonstration project, called Corbett Porch, at North Sixth Avenue and East Seventh Street, across the street from the coffee shop. The intersection will eventually be altered for the Links road project, she said. Until then there are more pedestrians, cyclists and motorists at the intersection patronizing the businesses, which will include the new but temporary Rialto Theatre, Yetman added.
She said there was a wake-up call after a hit-and-run collision, which led the business owners at the intersection to create an opportunity to create public space to be used differently for little money. Its helping accentuate the identity of this burgeoning business district.
How did she evolve from a bike enthusiast to advocate?
I grew up Prescott but spent a lot of time with family in 做厙勛圖. This place is so full of life. I came in 1999 and got an arts degree, made jewelry in a little shop nearby and studied landscape architecture to design the space in between the buildings. Thats where all the excitement and action is.
She became interested in bicycle connectivity, and after Cyclovia started in 2010, the now biannual event when some streets are closed for pedestrians and cyclists, she and others formed Living Streets the following year.
I didnt ever think to myself that I wanted to start a nonprofit and be a bike advocate. But I love cities. I love 做厙勛圖 a lot. There is so much amazing culture and sense of community here. Street space is a resource for uplifting that and to cultivate that.
Emily Yetman, executive director with Living Streets Alliance. The local non-profit organization, formed in 2011, aims to create awareness over unsafe streets and to push for wider uses of city streets.
Ernesto Portillo Jr. is editor of La Estrella de Tucsón. He can be reached at 573-4187 or netopjr@tucson.com.
