Member Suggestion

NOTE: Available only in French

We are all pedestrians, walking being part of any transportation, it is also a mode of transport in its own right, which would benefit from being better taken into account by public policies.

Urban planning from the 1950s to the 2000s emphasized the creation of spaces conducive to the mobility of individual motor vehicles, often to the detriment of active and collective modes of transport. We now realize that this has created many problems, be it urban sprawl, the lack of functional and safe pedestrian infrastructure, a built environment with little diversity at pedestrian scale and even our collective dependence on the automobile. Walking in urban areas is a mode of transport that is good for health and the environment.

Nevertheless, the development of a “pedestrian-friendly city” collectively refers to several issues, be it mobility, demography, social participation, health, safety and planning. Public authorities and particularly municipalities hold important levers to create a functional, user-friendly and safe environment for pedestrians. To achieve this, they must rely on a clear political will to apply good planning and management practices. Municipal authorities also need data that takes into account the perspective of pedestrian users in their infrastructure. These street-level and intersection data are often limited or absent.

It is to address this issue that the assessment of the “potentiel piétonnier actif sécuritaire (PPAS)”, or Safe Active Pedestrian Potential has been developed by the regional director of public health (DRSP). It is a scientifically validated tool that allows for the systematic and standardized observation of more than 80 indicators affecting the built environment in which pedestrians move.

(Source: Étudier nos rues du point de vue des piétons : un pas de plus pour améliorer la qualité de vie et les déplacements actifs)