MyWHaT

AARP of Michigan has signed on as a partner organization with Michigan Complete Streets and today published a supportive article in AARP Bulletin Today titled: “Making the Nation’s Car Capital Pedestrian Friendly“.

The organization is obviously thinking about promoting active lifestyles for their members, but also addressing a key demographic regarding safety. The article makes a point that of Michigan’s pedestrian or bicyclist fatalities in 2008, 30% involved someone 55 or older.

There needs to be a shift in thinking from speed to safety and accessibility, because speed isn’t always the answer. A complete street is a street that is safer for everyone.” –Karen Kafantaris, associate state director of AARP Michigan

Kafantaris is looking to place walkability volunteers into the streets to conduct sidewalk and street surveys. Their Community Walkability Toolkit (PDF) looks like something Northern Michigan, perhaps through the Grand Vision, the city or just as groups of citizens could utilize.

The article asks, “can pedestrians, cyclists and automobiles share safe streets?”

With major organizations with political clout and resources getting on board, there’s no reason Michigan can’t make it happen.

To volunteer with AARP’s Complete Streets survey, e-mail Karen Kafantaris kkafantaris@aarp.org.

PHOTO Credit: Innpictime Photography

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Life in a great recession is leading to some interesting social conclusions. For one, it’s becoming apparent to many that suburbs and isolated areas are NOT economic generators. In fact, they appear to be the opposite. Currently, these areas are where the highest rates of poverty and foreclosures are found.

Healthy economies & communities rely on increased number of interactions. As today’s quote points out:

“The places that thrive today are those with the highest velocity of ideas, the highest density of talented and creative people, the highest rate of metabolism…The economy is driven by key urban areas; a different geography is required.”

– In Richard Florida’s,  “How the Crash Will Reshape America,” The Atlantic Monthly (March 2009)

Discussions like these tend to be about larger cities, but it remains true on a smaller scale for places like Traverse City as well. We have a lot going for us, but we still place a high value on moving cars. We need to start approaching each new capital improvement (streets, parking decks, the bay-front…) as an opportunity to prioritize and increase the exchange of ideas.

What types of streets do that best? For example, is creating thoroughfares through the center of neighborhoods increasing human-to-human interaction? Or, is it an economic cost for the convenience of moving people automobiles in & OUT of the city? We can make that choice, but let’s be clear on the values it represents.

How many interactions did you have on your way to work today? To lunch?

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