The 2023 Texas Pedestrian Safety Forum was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at the Norris Center in San Antonio, Texas. The forum’s agenda, session descriptions, and presentations can be found below. Presentations will be added as we acquire permission to post them. Thank you to everyone who joined us in person this year!
| Stepping Safely in Rural America: Prioritizing Pedestrian Safety Beyond Urban Centers | Kshitij Sharma, Associate Research Fellow, North Dakota State University,
Theresa Parma, Traffic Safety Specialist, Texas Department of Transportation Jonathan Feit, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Beyond Lucid Technologies |
| Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise across Texas, including the rural parts of the state. Join our presenters as they share the state of pedestrian safety in rural Texas and the best practices and innovative approaches to addressing pedestrian safety and walkability in rural communities. | |
| The Evolution of Vision Zero in Texas | Josh Peterman, Principal/Dallas Office Leader, Fehr & Peers,
Joaquin Rodriguez, Director – Grant Funded Programs, City of El Paso, |
| The vision of zero deaths attributable to our transportation system has gained significant momentum within the State of Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation has committed to the Road to Zero initiative, and several cities throughout Texas have adopted the Vision Zero approach to traffic safety. Join our speakers as we discuss how these zero-death philosophies differ from traditional traffic safety approaches, and discuss best practices and lessons learned from a city in Texas that is in the early phases of implementing Vision Zero and a city that was an early adopter of this approach. | |
| Using Advanced Techniques to Data Mine Pedestrian Crash Data | Minh Le, Research & Implementation – Program Manager, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Mike Pratt, Assistant Research Scientist, Texas A&M Transportation Institute |
| This session will provide an overview of advanced data techniques that researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute are utilizing to mine and improve pedestrian crash data. Researchers will share findings from applying Natural Language Processing and machine learning techniques to automate the classification of Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT) crash types, determination of pedestrian intentionality, and predictive pedestrian crash severity based on crash types and intentionality. In addition, the session will cover findings from a comparative analysis between historical weather and sun glare data and those data included within CRIS. | |
| Fostering Safety Culture in Transportation Agencies Through Effective Communication | Tara Goddard, Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at Texas A&M University
Joel Meyer, Acting Transportation Safety Officer for the Austin Transportation & Public Works Department |
| This panel will explore how language and communication impacts how pedestrian safety is prioritized within our communities and transportation agencies. Panelists will discuss how faming pedestrian safety language impacts safety culture and will share work that the City of Austin is conducting to determine how to ensure they are developing a strong culture of safety. | |
| Key Public Policy Steps on the Road to Zero in Recent and Coming Years | Jay Crossley, Executive Director, Farm&City |
| This session will feature a comprehensive overview of the transportation and pedestrian safety policy accomplishments during the most recent legislative session in Texas. In addition, speakers will discuss the wave of pedestrian safety funding that is being utilized within Texas, and the key policies that pedestrian safety advocates will be working on in the next two years. | |
| Striding Towards Safer Streets: Developing a Statewide Pedestrian Safety Action Plan | Carl Siefert, Active Transportation Planner, Jacobs,
Greg Reininger, Bicycle/Pedestrian Planner, Texas Department of Transportation |
| The Texas Department of Transportation is currently developing a Statewide Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). Join us to hear how TxDOT developed their PSAP, and how the plan will improve pedestrian safety throughout Texas. | |
FORUM KEYNOTE
Reality Check: What Can We Realistically Expect from Our Drivers?
Patricia Tice, President, ProFound Insights
Presentation Slides Part 1, Presentation Slides Part 2
Over the last 4 years, the team from UCF has been going over driver behavior in the wild with some surprising results that may require a shift in our strategy. If we are serious about Vision Zero, we may need to come back to the original concept of Complete Streets, not completing each individual street. This discussion will lay out the realistic limitations we face but will outline a strategy for how to move forward and details about where to focus our efforts.
| Strengthening the Connection Between Pedestrian Safety and Law Enforcement | Scott White, Director Vision Zero Texas, Farm&City
Sydney Sepulveda, Quality Public Realm Program Manager, Memphis Medical District Collaborative Johnny Hardaway, Officer, San Antonio Police Department |
| This session will focus on how the pedestrian safety community communicates about key issues related to transportation safety. Presenters will discuss communication gaps that exist in pedestrian safety and lead a structured discussion about how the pedestrian safety community can create a common understanding among transportation professionals and advocates. | |
| Building Safe Cities for Pedestrian of All Abilities | Todd Hargroder, Founder & CEO, Soul Mobility,
Scott Meyer, Orientation & Mobility Specialist, Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Criss Cole School |
| This session will provide attendees with an overview of both the challenges and innovative approaches to ensuring our pedestrian facilities are accessible to Texans of all abilities. | |
| Using the Safe Systems Approach to Enhancing Pedestrian Safety Through Speed Management | Steve Ratke, Senior Safety and Geometric Design Engineer, Federal Highway Administration |
| Implementing the Safe Systems approach when considering our roadway designs is a key component to reducing speeds and saving pedestrian lives. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the practice for designing infrastructure that protects our most vulnerable road users, with a special focus on how infrastructure plays a critical role in reducing vehicular travel speeds. | |