Walk Audit 101

Photo: Sidewalks designed with cars in mind?

On this walk, John will share his knowledge and process to evaluate the pedestrian's experience on walking routes and crossings.  We will walk along Rideau St and adjacent streets to examine examples of good and bad features related to "walkability." We will compare and contrast Rideau and York Sts with respect to walkability, and we'll consider whether and how pedestrian shortcuts might contribute to traffic calming plans. 

We will also review methods used by Walk Ottawa, the Council on Aging, and Ecology Ottawa to gather input on pedestrian needs and experience. As a participant, you will learn about how to get City action on pedestrian deficiencies and how to organize a walkability audit process for your neighbourhood.

Location
Route

Beginning at the Rideau St branch of the Ottawa Public Library, we will walk west on Rideau St toward the Byward Market then return east along York St back to Nelson St. 

About the walk leader

Along with his understanding from a lifetime of experience in the urban environment, John Woodhouse has been doing fieldwork in this area for seven years.  He is currently working with Walk Ottawa, a local citizen's group that monitors pedestrian infrastructure. 

Learn more about Walk Ottawa at their website: walkottawa.ca.

Guide:

John Woodhouse

When:
Date:Sun May 7, 2017
Time:1:30 PM
Duration: 2 hours
Language: English
Where:
Start:Rideau St. branch of the<p>............................ Ottawa Public Library
End:Corner of York & Nelson
Area:Rideau St East/Byward Market
Distance:1.0 km
Accessibility:

Completely accessible to wheelchairs (the tour leader uses a chair).

Gallery
Sidewalks designed for cars rather than pedestrians.  The wavy surface makes it harder to walk over, and is more dangerous when icy.
Volunteer to Marshal This Walk