Shoe memorial to honor pedestrian fatalities and spark conversations about pedestrian safety
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (September 12, 2022) — The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is hosting the 5th annual Utah Pedestrian Summit on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, at the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo. This summit is an opportunity for planning, design, health, education, law enforcement, safety officials, and advocates to share experiences, opportunities and successes in improving pedestrian experience throughout Utah.
The eight-hour summit will focus on a variety of topics including pedestrian safety, design, and encouragement. In-person and virtual options are available, as well as continuing education credits. Those interested in attending need to register, here.
“This summit is meant to foster discussion, learning, listening and brainstorming between presenters and participants,” said Heidi Goedhart, Active Transportation Manager at UDOT. “It’s always incredible to see how we come together with a common passion and goal of improving the safety and experience of all pedestrian experiences in Utah.”
The keynote speaker will be Dan Burden, a national leader in reinventing streets, neighborhoods and towns with walkability solutions. The White House recognized Burden as one of the top ten Champions of Change in Transportation, TIME magazine called him “one of the six most important civic innovators in the world,” and his peers at Planetizen list him as one of the 100 most significant urban thinkers of all time.
Pedestrian safety is a top priority at the summit, especially as pedestrian fatalities have been and continue to be on the rise. With 39 pedestrian fatalities already this year, Utah is close to surpassing any other year-end total in the last decade. The highest year was 49 pedestrian fatalities in 2013.
To bring awareness to the importance of pedestrian safety, those in attendance will experience a shoe memorial designed by Move Utah and Zero Fatalities. Forty-six shoes will be on display in remembrance of those who have tragically lost their lives in 2021 while walking on or near Utah roads.
Partner agencies and programs include the Utah Department of Transportation, Move Utah, TravelWise, Zero Fatalities, Safe Routes Utah, Utah Department of Health, Utah Department of Public Safety, Utah Transit Authority, Wasatch Front Regional Council, Mountainland Association of Governments, Salt Lake County, Get Healthy Utah, Utah APA, and Federal Highways Administration.
