Executive Order Number Eighty-Three Creating an Advisory Council on Walkability and Pedestrian Awareness
WHEREAS, walking is the most fundamental mode of transportation and a simple fitness activity that can prevent disease and improve physical health and mental well-being; and
WHEREAS, Delaware has an extensive network of greenways, trails, sidewalks and pathways for the enjoyment of its citizens and visitors; and
WHEREAS, my administration’s Livable Delaware agenda promotes the walkability of communities through principles such as traditional neighborhood design, mobility-friendly design, mixed-use and infill developments; and
WHEREAS, improving the walkability of a community increases property values by making these communities more desirable places to live; and
WHEREAS, over-reliance on the automobile can worsen traffic congestion which is a disincentive to businesses choosing where to locate or whether to expand; and
WHEREAS, land-use and traffic patterns and a lack of interconnectivity in many suburban areas make families dependent on motor vehicles for almost every activity; and
WHEREAS, 71 percent of parents say they walked or biked to school when they were children, but only 18 percent of their children now walk or bike to school; and
WHEREAS, there is a lack of understanding of Delaware law and how motorists are expected to approach and respond to pedestrians in crosswalks,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RUTH ANN MINNER, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby declare and order the following:
1. An Advisory Council on Pedestrian Awareness and Walkability (“Advisory Council”) be established to advise the Delaware Department of Transportation (“DelDOT”);
2. The Advisory Council shall assist DelDOT with the development, adoption and implementation of a Statewide Pedestrian Action Plan (“Plan”);
3. The following organizations and interests shall be represented on the Advisory Council:
a. Division of Planning, Delaware Department of Transportation, one representative who shall serve as chair;
b. Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, one representative;
c. Office of Highway Safety, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, one representative;
d. Delaware Greenways, one representative;
e. American Heart Association of Delaware, one representative;
f. American Lung Association of Delaware, one representative;
g. From each county, one representative of a civic or homeowners association;
h. From each county, one representative of an organization that promotes physical activity, including walking;
i. One representative form the Public Advisory Committee, Wilmington Metropolitan Area Planning Council;
j. One representative from the Public Advisory Committee, Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization;
k. One representative from the Delaware League of Local Governments;
l. One representative of the Architectural Accessibility Board;
m. A citizen who has a physical disability; and
n. A citizen who has a visual impairment.
All members of the Advisory Council shall be appointed by the Governor and serve at the Governor’s pleasure.
4. The Plan shall address and propose solutions to the following issues in an effort to make walking a safe, convenient, efficient and comfortable means of transportation:
a. Ensuring that paths and sidewalks are continuous and interconnected where feasible;
b. Developing consistent design standards for crosswalks, sidewalks and pathways;
c. Clarifying maintenance responsibility for sidewalks; and
d. Reviewing traffic rules and driver behavior to help support a safer pedestrian environment; and
e. Promoting land-use and traffic patterns that encourage walking and reduce air pollution.
5. DelDOT, with the assistance of the Advisory Council, shall work with the citizens of Delaware to create the Plan and deliver it to the Governor no later than July 30, 2007.
Approved and adopted this 9th day of March, 2006.
