1. Introduction

This document offers recommendations for improving pedestrian safety in Utah. A number of agencies and organizations would be responsible for implementing the recommendations, including the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), regional planning organizations, municipal jurisdictions, pedestrian safety and educational organizations, community groups, and concerned individuals. A more complete list of organizations that might be involved in implementation is offered at the end of this report.

This research project, "Evaluating and Improving Pedestrian Safety in Utah," was initiated in December 2000. Two interim reports have been prepared thus far, including Facilitation of Pedestrian Crossings in 28 States and Literature Review of Pedestrian Safety Measures (Cottrell 2001) and Literature Review of Pedestrian-Vehicle Crashes and Analysis of Pedestrian-Vehicle Crashes in Utah (Cottrell et al. 2001). The final chapter of each report features recommendations pertaining to the subjects discussed in that report. This report incorporates and organizes those recommendations, adds new ones, and provides links to pedestrian safety policies and plans that are currently in place in Utah. The primary resource document for this report was the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan (SPBP), which was approved by UDOT in February 2001. While the SPBP considers both pedestrians and bicycles, the current research, and this report, focuses on pedestrian-related concerns.

The Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan (SPBP) considers the following pedestrian-related issues:

• Pedestrian-vehicle crash statistics and outcomes;
• Federal legislation and regulations;
• Statewide planning actions regarding walkways and support facilities, railroad crossings, shared usage of trails and paths, safety and liability matters, driver awareness, pedestrian safety education, legislation, usage of controlled-access highways, and enforcement;
• Regional planning actions;
• Local planning and community advocacy;
• Public transit access;
• Inventories of pedestrian facilities;
• Construction zones; and
• Snow removal.

The SPBP also refers to a number of organizations within Utah that are involved in pedestrian movement and safety. The responsibility for implementing the recommendations in this report would be with these organizations. The SPBP also provides synopses of pedestrian-related documents that have been prepared by these organizations. The following text addresses each of the preceding issues. Because they are both numerous and important, the statewide planning action items are considered individually. The format of the body of this report is to, within each section, identify the key issues and concerns, describe any policies, plans or actions as discussed in the SPBP or other writings, then offer one or more recommendations.