Author Archives: David M Levinson

Why Australian road rules should be rewritten to put walking first

Published in The Conversation, reposted here: You are walking east on a footpath and come to an unmarked intersection without traffic signals. A vehicle is driving north, across your path. Who has right of way in Australia? Should you step into the road expecting the vehicle to slow down or stop if necessary? Is theContinue reading “Why Australian road rules should be rewritten to put walking first”

Submission – Alexandria to Moore Park Connector

(Note this submission extends, updates, and adapts a previous WalkSydney post) WalkSydney is pleased to make a submission on the Alexandria to Moore Park Connector. WalkSydney is a community group working to make it easier, safer and more pleasant to walk in Sydney. With a growing population we need to ensure people can easily walkContinue reading “Submission – Alexandria to Moore Park Connector”

Why drivers should support policy that favours walking

I asked on Twitter: What’s the best argument public policy should prioritise walking over driving, that would convince reasonable drivers? Since Twitter is not a good reference source, I documented some answers below. Shoshanna Saxe: The only one I’ve found that works is “if you are dedicated to your car fine… but the last thingContinue reading “Why drivers should support policy that favours walking”

`Save the Trees’ on Lawson Street, Redfern

Anyone who has traveled from Redfern station to the University of Sydney is familiar with Lawson Street. The footpaths on Lawson Street are crowded, and the City of Sydney has a plan to widen them. Unfortunately, this involves removing mature trees and planting new trees in the parking lane. Local residents have started a petitionContinue reading “`Save the Trees’ on Lawson Street, Redfern”

Inaugural Great West Walk Wianamatta Regional Park

The Great West Walk, a 65km section of Sydney’s walking network linking Parramatta and Penrith, is being launched with an Inaugural walk over five days from Friday 11th to Tuesday 15th October. The full walk is being undertaken by members of the Walking Volunteers and other walkers are being encouraged to join the Volunteers onContinue reading “Inaugural Great West Walk Wianamatta Regional Park”

WalkSydney’s List of Aims

WalkSydney has developed a preliminary list of aims that will help make Sydney more walkable. We expect these will evolve over time, but it is a good place to start: Intersection Crossings Provide legal pedestrian crossings at all movements. Increase the use of Wombats (raised pedestrian crossings). Implement Pedestrian phases as the default condition, soContinue reading “WalkSydney’s List of Aims”

Submission: Redfern Station Southern Concourse

WalkSydney is pleased to make a submission on the Redfern Station Southern Concourse. WalkSydney is a community group working to make it easier, safer and more pleasant to walk in Sydney. With a growing population we need to ensure people can easily walk to public transport, local shops and services, and shared transport options.   HistoricallyContinue reading “Submission: Redfern Station Southern Concourse”

Submission: Connected Liverpool 2050: Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement: A Land Use Vision to 2050.

WalkSydney is pleased to make a submission on Connected Liverpool 2050: Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement: A Land Use Vision to 2050. WalkSydney is a community group advocating for walking. As Sydney’s population grows, we want people to be able to walk easily to schools, public transport, local shops and services and shared transport choices.Continue reading “Submission: Connected Liverpool 2050: Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement: A Land Use Vision to 2050.”

Surface treatments – a disutility from utilities.

In the minds of urban designers, the footpaths are designed and built with a particular material. On day 1 it looks lovely. But some utility needs to be repaired, and works need to be done, so the bricks in the footpaths are ripped out. They are never properly restored, asphalt is somehow sufficient replacement. AndContinue reading “Surface treatments – a disutility from utilities.”

Pedestrians count / Count pedestrians

That which is counted, counts. The English mathematician and biostatistician Karl Pearson once said, “That which is measured improves. That which is measured and reported improves exponentially.” The sorry state of walk signals in Sydney, where a pedestrian should be thankful for 6 seconds of walk time every two minutes at some intersections occurs inContinue reading “Pedestrians count / Count pedestrians”

Pedestrians are Fine, Don’t Fine Pedestrians

The Sydney Morning Herald presents an opinion that It’s futile and yet police persist in fining jaywalkers. This is our sad reality, pedestrians, who cannot of themselves do much damage, are fined, while cars, which can kill in the blink of an eye, proceed unscathed. The stated argument for criminalising “jaywalking” (not an actual crime, butContinue reading “Pedestrians are Fine, Don’t Fine Pedestrians”

We Want Wombats

A wombat crossing is wide, flat, and elevated marked pedestrian crossing. In short, it’s a zebra crossing on a speed hump. Named for the short stumpy Australian marsupial which it loosely resembles, the wombat crossing does several things: It elevates pedestrians relative to the street, increasing their visibility. This is important as cars are gettingContinue reading “We Want Wombats”

De-rubbishing our footpaths

Consider the featured image, a set of rubbish and recycling bins, and their spillover, on a footpath in Chippendale (at the intersection of Shepherd and Cleveland). Or consider the similar photo in Darlington. I am sure Sydneysiders have experienced worse. Adjacent to these are cars parked on-the-street at the kerb. We see this in placesContinue reading “De-rubbishing our footpaths”