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three perfect days in silicon valley
: introduction
: the six MPO's
: caltrain service
: what are walking audits
: why MPO's are involved
: what makes for a good walking audit
: what makes for a community walkable
: what happens next

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Features & Articles : Three Perfect Days in Silicon Valley


What Are Walking Audits?
page 4

A walking audit is a tool to enable people in a community to identify barriers to more and safer walking. Typically four hours long, the audit is an evolution of the Pedestrian Roadshow pioneered by the Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They quickly and effectively raise awareness of the political, technical, and practical issues that combine to make a street or neighborhood walkable, and they begin to identify potential solutions. Although every walking audit is a little different, they usually include the following key elements:
    a) a visual introduction to walkability drawing on national and local examples
    b) a local presenter who describes particular local problem or situation
    c) a walk in the community to identify good and bad conditions
    d) a discussion of people's observations on the walk, and
    e) agreement on possible action items and/or proposed improvements
Depending on the community hosting the workshop, the session may focus on general walkability issues, specific problems within a community, or a single site or roadway with particular problems such as a school, main street, or major intersection.


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