Morrisville Active Kids Strategic Plan

Active Kids Strategic Plan

opportunity to travel by active modes. From 1997 through 2014, there were 31 total bicyclist crashes in Morrisville including three youth crash victims. Of the 27 pedestrian crashes in that same timeframe there were nine youth victims, including one fatality. Five of the pedestrian youth crashes occurred on local, residential streets; two occurred in public vehicular areas such as parking lots; and one occurred on a state thoroughfare. The information to the right includes some common characteristics of youth as it relates to walking and bicycling. Youth (age 19 and younger) comprise 28% of Morrisville’s population and make up a large percentage of the area’s residents who are not able to drive. While we focus on educating youth on how to cross streets and ride safely on their bicycles, there are still several cognitive factors among youth that make them more susceptible to being the victim of a crash. This is why the design of streets—as touted through the emerging Vision Zero campaign in North Carolina to eliminate highway deaths—is paramount to creating safer streets. Vision Zero concepts are based on designing streets to make up for the mistakes of road users, most notably the youth, seniors, and disabled who have mobility limitations while walking or bicycling. Morrisville should be diligent in the design of its streets and in its discussion with NCDOT to ensure Vision Zero design concepts are deployed when roads are built or widened and when greenways cross area streets.

What we know about children who walk and bike: Young Children  Like to copy the behavior of adults and older children.  Walk slower than average adult.  Think close calls are fun.  They are short and hard to see by motorists.  Have limited peripheral vision.  Want to run and desire to limit crossing times.

Pre-Teens 

Want to explore the freedom parents give them.

Are willing to take chances.

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Walk and bicycle at more difficult times (higher exposure).

Walk across more risky roads.

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Teenagers 

Want to think big and act big. Think bicycling is cool. Act fiercely independent.

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Can chaperone younger siblings when walking and bicycling.

Source: NCHRP Report 562: Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignalized Crossings

What We Know: Morrisville’s Youth Population

The population pyramid for Morrisville indicates that 28.1% of the town’s population is under age 19. This is similar to Wake County’s ratio of 28.9% of residents being under the age of 19. Based on these similar proportions, it is relatively safe to assume that the concerns for the youth population in Morrisville are similar to other parts of the County. 28%

April 25, 2017

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