Perils for Pedestrians
Bethesda, Maryland
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC)
Background
Started in 1996, Perils for Pedestrians is a public access television series designed to educate the public on issues affecting pedestrians including barriers to safety as well as solutions.
Solution
A new 28-minute episode is produced each month detailing either a case study or a specific issue. People interviewed include advocates, planners, engineers, and local and international public officials. Issues have included hazards confronting pedestrians, good pedestrian infrastructure, bicycles and transit, and more.
Funding is provided from personal funds and all work in done in-house. Total production costs, including the maintenance of the website, totals nearly $7,000 a year. The show is aired for free on local public access channels and hosted by advocates around the country. The program is now archived on Google Video at:
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=%22Perils+For+Pedestrians%22
Results
Interviews have been conducted in all 50 states, 5 Canadian provinces, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria. The series is shown on over 120 public access cable stations across the United States. In addition, the series is shown on The Universityhouse Channel on DISH Network channel 9411 Tuesdays at 9:30 PM Eastern Time. The program helps raise public awareness and knowledge of issues affecting pedestrians. Regular viewers include city council members and planners who gain ideas from the program. The web site has 100,000 visitors per year.
Contact
John Z Wetmore
5305 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-5305
john@pedestrians.org
www.pedestrians.org
Filed in: Education, Case Studies
