Planning in Progress 

by Kristen E. Humphrey, MLA, Local Assistance and Training Planner 

Last year marked Maryland’s first ever WALKTOBER, a full month in which the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Maryland Department of Planning (Planning), and other partnering agencies promoted and hosted walking events and webinars – aptly named ‘Walkinars’ – spotlighting issues of pedestrian safety, health, and bi-pedal and multi-modal commuting options throughout the state.

The month-long celebration of Maryland’s official state exercise was so successful that organizers have been hard at work lining up another terrific, event-filled month for WALKTOBER 2021 (website coming soon!). This year’s Walkinars, produced by Planning, will be held each Thursday throughout the month. They are organized around four main subject areas: What’s Happening; Pedestrian Health; Planning and Enforcement; and Maryland Community Walk Initiatives.  

With presentation titles such as Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City; Walking and Mental Health; Made You Look – The Art in the Right-of-Way; and with presenters from acclaimed organizations such as the Department of Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia, AARP, Walk with a Doc, the Maryland Department of Health and many more, the 2^nd annual WALKTOBER is bound to be phenomenal! 

Be sure to look for updates, announcements, and registration links in upcoming editions of Planning Practice Monthly! 

For more information, please contact Francine E. Waters, Multimodal Transportation Project Specialist, Maryland Department of Transportation at 410-865-1167 or fwaters@mdot.maryland.gov.