a technical guide for conducting pedestrian safety assessments

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY • INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES • TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM
31
J. Focus Groups (Interviews)
Focus Groups or Small Group Interviews may be conducted before or after a standard Walking Audit to obtain
additional information regarding the context, constraints, and opportunities for a Focus Area(s). Focus Groups can be
especially helpful when paired with a Target Citizen Group Walking Audit. In this case the target group representatives
can participate in a more in-depth debrief of the Walking Audit and brainstorm potential solutions.
Materials Required: Appropriate meeting room for Focus Group size (10-15), flip chart and markers, tape, nametags,
aerial photographs of Focus Area(s), camera, computer and projector (as needed)
Potential Participants: Target group representatives may include:
➜ School District Representatives
➜ PTA Representatives
➜ School Children
➜ Senior Citizens or their Advocates (such as AARP)
➜ Disabled Citizens or their Advocates
➜ Representatives from non-English Speaking Communities (and a translator if necessary)
➜ Civic, Neighborhood, Business Associations
Standard Walking Audit participants can be invited to participate in the Focus Groups, especially those responsible for
planning and/or implementing pedestrian improvement measures.
2.5 IDENTIFY PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT MEASURES (BEST PRACTICES)
The evaluators will make recommendations for site-specific and citywide pedestrian improvements based on the findings
from the field audits/reviews and data analysis. Some examples of best practices are shown in Table 7. The evaluators
will also consult published standards, best practices, and safety resources as shown below in Table 8. Table 8 is
mapped to the FHWA Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Prompt Lists, as shown in Appendix B, to facilitate the use of
Table 8.