The fall's vote for the "Bridging the Gap" proposition is a clear sign that Seattleites want amenities that increase the walkability of our city -- sidewalks, safer routes to school, pedestrian corridors, better transit. And with Bridging the Gap comes the funding for the nation's best pedestrian master plan.

What would that plan look like?

1. The Pedestrian Master Plan must be truly multi-departmental. By working with multiple departments and offices and getting specific commitments, the Plan will be more well-rounded, informed, and far-reaching. Departments could include the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Department of Planning and Development, the Parks & Recreation Department, the Department of Neighborhoods, the Police Department, Public Utilities, the Office of Economic Development, the Office of Sustainability and the Environment, the Office of Civil Rights, City Light, Public Health, and others.

2. The Plan must benefit from the innovation of political leadership to be forward thinking and not create a Plan that is simply status quo. Fortunately, the Seattle City Council has made pedestrian safety their #1 priority in 2007 and have already passed a creative and solid resolution regarding the Pedestrian Master Plan.

3. During the process of creating the Plan, we must look to professionals in Urban Design and Planning and other visionaries in the field for best practices, inspiration, and guidance.

4. The Plan must consider Seattle's future and what it holds-- an additional half million people in the next 100 years. Lessening our dependence on cars, encouraging Seattle citizens to use Walking as Transportation, and creating healthier people in healthier communities city-wide is more essential than ever. This work must be done now in preparation of the future.

5. The Plan should be created to be readily implemented. Creating an actionable Plan will ensure that Seattle becomes the walkable city that we know it can be.

Seattle's citizens have been impacted by (and complained about) poor pedestrian conditions for decades. Seattle's status relative to Portland and Vancouver is directly related to its walkability.  Let's use this as a chance to stop aspiring to Portland & Vancouver and surpass our neighboring cities. The Pedestrian Master Plan will help us achieve so many objectives, including the Climate Action Plan, improved open-space, economic vitality, health, and safety.