September is Pedestrian Safety Month and Culver City, through a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), is conducting a month-long celebration of active transportation with a focus on safety. Featuring free workshops and community events including group walks and rides, the goal is to encourage people of all ages to walk and bike more often and increase safety awareness between Aug. 29 and Sept. 26.
The Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization Walk ‘n Rollers will implement the majority of the programming. Walk ‘n Rollers has more than 12 years of experience educating and encouraging people of all ages to be more active, primarily through more frequent walking and biking.
Culver City’s Department of Public Works, in collaboration with Walk n’ Rollers, will host the following Walking and Biking Safety Awareness Events (events subject to change):
- Wednesday, Sept. 8: Walk Safe Walk Smart Workshop & Walking Tour, followed by a Poetry Writing Workshop; 10 a.m.; CC Senior Center
- Sunday, Sept. 12: National Grandparents Day; Walk with your elder family & friends
- Saturday, Sept. 18: Harvest Moon Ride – Evening Ride & tips on night riding; 6:30 p.m.; meet at Culver City’s Village Well Bookstore
- Sunday, Sept. 19: National Talk Like a Pirate Day – Walking Adventure & Treasure Hunt; Downtown CC
- Wednesday, Sept. 22: Adult Bike Skills Workshop; 10 a.m.; CC Senior Center
- Saturday, Sept. 25: National Public Lands Day – Park to Playa Adventure – Family Ride, Trail Ride, Group Walk to explore this amazing resource
- Sunday, Sept. 26: National Family Fitness Day – Historical Walking Tour of Downtown CC; 9 a.m.; Culver Hotel
- According to Walk Score®, Culver City has an average Walk Score of 75 with 38,883 residents within its five square miles. Culver City has good public transportation and is very bikeable. A score between 70-89 is considered Very Walkable, and that most errands can be accomplished on foot.
Unfortunately, Culver City also ranks 7th in the state in pedestrian fatalities of people over the age of 65 presenting an opportunity for improvement.
In addition to Culver City’s nearly 40,000 residents, many major companies are headquartered here, which means thousands more people come into the city daily to work.
Culver City is encouraging these companies and their employees to follow safety guidelines too, as they walk to get coffee, lunch or an afternoon snack, running errands, enjoying drinks or dinner after work, taking public transit, or commuting via bike and public transit.
“Our goal is to get adults and families to embrace active transportation, and to do it safely,” says Walk ‘n Rollers Executive Director Jim Shanman. “Culver City is easily walkable and bikeable. Taking a walk on a regular basis is free, healthy and a great way to see the city at street level. No matter how you choose to be active, we believe safety is a habit. Don’t break it!”
For more information and tips on walking and biking safely in and around Culver City, as well as more details regarding the Walking and Biking Safety Awareness Events, please visit www.culvercity.org/mobility or http://walkmorebikemore.org/ccots/