Passing the PEDS torch, speed study

September 2019

Big news: I'm about to leave my role as President & CEO at PEDS and pass the torch to a new


	Sally Flocks, PEDS' Founder

leader.

No words can express how grateful I am for the privilege of working with so many passionate and knowledgeable people to make our streets and communities great places to walk.

I founded PEDS in 1996, and the past 23 years have been filled with challenging and rewarding experiences. I'm thrilled to have created something much bigger than myself. And to have achieved far more than I ever could have imagined. I look back with so much pride, especially for

Providing workshops that taught hundreds of transportation professionals how to design streets for pedestrian safety
Making safe and innovative crosswalk treatments mainstream
Helping people with disabilities document barriers they face and find legal representation
Making safe crossings at transit stops a regional and state funding priority

And last but not least, since this is why I founded PEDS in the first place: increasing driver compliance with crosswalk laws in Atlanta.

PEDS is thriving, with an experienced new leader, talented staff, strong board of directors, and hundreds of you as supporters. I'm optimistic that together, you'll build on my legacy and take PEDS to a whole new level.

Something you can count on: I'll remain an active and outspoken advocate. My boots are made for walking, and there are so many ways to help make the safety and convenience of people who walk the top priority in communities throughout Georgia.

P.S. PEDS will hold a Pass the Torch celebration in early November. Stay tuned for details.

Cathy Tyler takes the helm as the new President & CEO of PEDS

Following an exhaustive, nationwide search, the Board of Directors at PEDS appointed Cathy Clark Tyler, who has vast experience in the nonprofit, educational, and governmental sectors, to be our new President & CEO.


	Cathy Tyler, PEDS' President & CEO

Until recently, Cathy served as Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications at Morehouse College. She's also held leadership positions at the Arthritis Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the City of Atlanta.

Under Cathy's leadership, PEDS will continue its mission of promoting the safety of everyone who walks. She is especially concerned about the increased safety risks facing people in low income neighborhoods and will develop new partnerships that help PEDS address this.

"Walking is the oldest form of transportation and basic human right of everyone," Cathy said.

We're planning special events - including WALKtober tours and a Pass the Torch celebration - where you can meet Cathy and share your priorities. More info coming soon.

City Council calls for study on speed limits and automated enforcement

Sadly, three people in Atlanta lost their lives while riding scooters here during the past few months. Another was fatally struck in East Point. All occurred at night. And less than two weeks ago, 14-year-old Jermaine Wallace was killed while trying to cross Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway to get to his bus stop.

In response, the City of Atlanta made several commitments to increasing safety, including

Installing temporary barriers "within 30 [business] days" to create protected in-street

Protected lane on Park Place

Photo credit: Rebecca Serna

lanes for scooters, bicycles, and other wheeled devices
Prohibiting scooter companies from renting e-scooters between 9 pm and 4 am
Asking the Planning Department to a evaluate reducing speed limits and using automated speed enforcement within the City of Atlanta

Over 30 days have passed since Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms pledged to install protected lanes - and together with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, we urge the City to move forward on this.

Providing safe places to ride in the road is a win/win for people riding bicycles or scooters and for pedestrians. Protected lanes are an essential tool for reducing riding on sidewalks.


	Speed camera demonstration project

In 2018 the Georgia legislature authorized the use of speed cameras in school zones. But school zones are a very small share of streets in Atlanta.

We urge Atlanta officials to seek state legislation authorizing local governments to use speed cameras on all streets, not just in school zones.

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