Utilities as Neighbors: PEPCO vs. Transcontinental

The Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation has a Right Of Way crossing Olney, Maryland.  So does PEPCO.  The Transcontinental ROW has a paved pedestrian/bicycle trail that helps connect the neighborhoods along the ROW.  The Transcontinental ROW also has benches, ball fields, and other amenities for the community.  PEPCO has "No Trespassing" signs.  Why do some utilities treat their neighbors like guests, while other utilities treat their neighbors like criminals?

Transportation Right Of Way Use By Pedestrians

Perils For Pedestrians 186

We learn how speed kills at a pedestrian safety event in Silver Spring, Maryland.

We meet the executive director of the Palmetto Cycling Coalition in Columbia, South Carolina.

We meet a mother whose daughter was killed by a speeding driver in Irmo, South Carolina.

Sidewalk Obstructions

I have added a new page on Sidewalk Obstructions on my website. Utilities such as the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and PEPCO often use the sidewalk as a convenient place to put hydrants and poles, despite the negative impact that has on pedestrians.

In this image, the old WSSC hydrant has blocked the sidewalk for 50 years.  The FH in white paint marks where the new WSSC hydrant will block the sidewalk for the next 50 years.  With a complete water system replacement underway, the new hydrant could have been put back behind the sidewalk.  Even the PEPCO pole in the background is located out of the way behind the sidewalk.

Perils For Pedestrians 182

--We visit the Koln International School of Design in Germany (KISD). Their Cultural Library program has students look at everyday things from a new perspective. Results are compared with students in other countries. Two of the projects looked at parking bicycles and waiting at bus stops. --How might a designer think about electric vehicles? --We talk with a bicyclist who moved from Amsterdam to Cologne. --We meet a pedestrian advocate from Nairobi at the Walk21 conference. --We look at the LifeCycle project to promote bicycling in Aveiro, Portugal. --We walk across the busiest railroad bridge in Germany, the Hohensollern Bridge over the Rhine River in Cologne.

Perils For Pedestrians 181: Portugal

--We talk with an anthropologist in Lisbon, Portugal, about pedestrians and traffic conflicts. --We talk with a city counselor in Aveiro, Portugal, about walking. --We look at the Active Access European project to encourage walking.

Perils For Pedestrians 180: Lisbon

--We learn about the pedestrian accessibility plan for Lisbon, Portugal. --We talk with a consultant about planning for pedestrians. --We look at trams and trains around Lisbon.

Perils For Pedestrians 179: The Hague

--We visit The Hague, for the Walk21 International Pedestrian Conference. --We meet Jack Short, with the International Transport Forum. --We visit one of the largest pedestrianized areas in Europe. --We learn about the International Co-operation on Theories and Concepts in Traffic Safety, ICTCT. --We talk with a key participant in the COST Action 328 Pedestrian Quality Needs project. --We learn about the Making Walking Count project.