News and events
City of Stoughton Wins Public Health Award for Improving Pedestrian Safety
April 25, 2008
Mayor Helen Johnson, Police Chief Pat O'Connor, Public Works Director Karl Manthe and Stoughton Senior Center Director Cindy McGlynn Accept Public Health Award for Prevention
Left to right: Kathleen Falk, Dane County Executive; Chief Pat O'Connor, Stoughton Police; Janet Piraino, Chief of Staff, Madison Mayor Cieslewicz's Office; Dr. Alan Schwartzstein, President, Board of Public Health Madison Dane County; Cindy McGlynn, Executive Director, Stoughton Senior Center; Dr. Thomas Schlenker, Executive Director, Public Health Madison Dane County, Karl Manthe, Director, Stoughton Public Works.
Stoughton has become a model community in Dane County for improving pedestrian safety and reducing the risk of injury and fatalities. In a county known for its driving culture of motorists running changing lights, speeding and not yielding to pedestrians who have the right-of-way in crosswalks Stoughton has achieved outstanding improvement and success.
The City of Stoughton has displayed a commitment and exemplary leadership to improve pedestrian safety and support a community environment that promotes walking for children and adults of all ages, and for this reason was awarded a Public Health Award for Prevention on April 16, 2008.
The City of Stoughton participated in a Pedestrian Safety Program for Older Adults funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by Safe Communities. The primary goals of the two year project were to improve pedestrian safety, increase the percentage of motorists who yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and use the results to develop a toolkit available to other communities across the nation.
Stoughton improved the percentage of motorists in their City who yield the right-of-way to pedestrians from 28% in 2006 to 77% in 2007. In downtown Stoughton at a targeted crosswalk frequently used by pedestrians the yield rate for people using a crossing flag is now 92%.
Congratulations to Mayor Johnson and her dedicated team on this well-deserved award!
