Crossing the Street Isn't a Race But It Seems Like It Sometimes

Ever try to cross a busy street within the time of the walk light at a normal pace? Ever cross with someone using a walker or a manual wheelchair? Is the light long enough?  If the light seems too short, perhaps it's not timed for the users.  I ran into an article recently that studied this. Published in 2012 in Age & Ageing, Most older pedestrians are unable to cross the road in time: a cross-sectional study concludes that

most older adults either cannot walk 8 feet safely or cannot walk fast enough to use a pedestrian crossing in the UK. The health impacts on older adults include limited independence and reduced opportunities for physical activity and social interaction. An assumed normal walking speed for pedestrian crossings of 1.2 m/s is inappropriate for older adults and revision of these timings should be considered.

Although this is a UK study, it's instructive if we are to move more toward walkable communities and away from communities designed around cars.