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To the Editors: 

Does the city of Berkeley have a pedestrian safety problem? 

There seems to be some confusion about what our recent report “Pedestrian Safety in California” (co-released with the Surface Transportation Policy Project [STPP] on Aug. 13) means for the city of Berkeley. 

To be clear about the facts: The city of Berkeley has the second highest pedestrian incident rate (106 injuries/104,600 population) of any city in California. 

Berkeley also has the highest rate of people walking in the state of California. In fact, according to the census, about 14 percent of Berkeley residents walk to work. This blows away San Francisco's 9 percent. 

What these two figures add up to in our report is a positive assessment of Berkeley's pedestrian environment relative to other cities in car-centric California. 

On the other hand, if you think that Berkeley has “fixed” the pedestrian problem just because it is a step ahead of sprawling cities like Vallejo and Los Angeles – think again. 

What the 14 member groups of California Walks! know is that the benefits of a “walkable community” extend far beyond a reduction in injuries. Children, seniors, people with disabilities, and businesses all benefit from a city that is organized around people walking rather than cars speeding. 

The message from our 14 grassroots member groups across the state to the city of Berkeley is, “You go girl!” Please keep on leading by investing in a livable, walkable city that the rest of the state can continue to look to as a model. 

Zachary Wald 

California Walks!