Dubbed earlier this year as the most dangerous of large metro areas owing to its high number of pedestrian fatalities, Orlando has embarked upon the first phase of construction of the City’s sidewalks project, Orlando Walks.
Orlando Walks, aims to improve pedestrian safety by providing a safe and connected sidewalk system. The first phase of the project will cover the construction of 18 miles of new sidewalks whose locations were were determined by proximity to schools, parks, bus routes, retail locations and SunRail stations.
On Friday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will work alongside workers as they pour and smooth cement to install a new sidewalk near Maguire Boulevard on the City’s east side.
A report, “Dangerous by Design 2011,” by Transportation for America, the largest and most diverse coalition working on transportation reform in America, put Orlando at the top of the list of most dangerous of large metro areas for walking, given its high number of pedestrian fatalities, despite a mere 1.2 percent of people walking to work.
