ADOT selects communities for statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness Campaign pilot programs

Sedona, AZ - The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has selected the Cottonwood-Clarkdale area and the City of Sedona in which to launch Safety Awareness Campaign pilot programs. The goal of the pilot programs is to increase safety awareness of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. The programs will focus on increasing knowledge and motivating positive behavioral changes through a public education effort, which will include participation by members of the community and a media campaign.

As part of the selection process an invitation letter for participation was sent out on Nov. 21, 2007 to all county and municipal administrators and tribal offices within the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) and two non-land contract Nations — the Navajo and San Juan Southern Piaute of Arizona. A news release was also distributed to print media outlets statewide informing the public about the grant award.

ADOT received many letters from interested municipalities, counties, community organizations and enthusiastic citizens expressing their support. After careful consideration and assessment of the input received from the submissions, the Cottonwood-Clarkdale area and the City of Sedona best matched ADOT’s selection criteria, which included: geographic areas demonstrating the greatest need; areas underserved by previous state or federal funding for similar programs; available resources or staff to assist with implementation; and the desire to participate in the program.

As a component of the Safety Awareness Campaigns, educational materials will be generated and distributed for the campaigns’ implementation. These materials will be designed so that they can be modified and adopted by other communities to serve their specific needs or audience. Likewise, the pilot programs developed in the Cottonwood-Clarkdale area and the City of Sedona will serve as building blocks, which other communities throughout Arizona can use to build future programs.

The Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has awarded funding to ADOT for the development of a statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness Campaign. The campaign is the most recent phase in the state’s ongoing Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

Recommendations from earlier phases of Arizona’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Plan have already resulted in improved conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the state. To view that plan, visit http://www.azbikeped.org/statewide-bicycle-pedestrian-intro.html.

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Source:  ADOT

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