FORT MILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Fort Mill High School Principal Zachary Beam noticed many students walking to school and the cross-country students running and training, and became concerned about their safety.
So, he reached out to the Bike-Ped Coalition of York County for help – which includes Janet Wojcik, a Winthrop University exercise science professor.
For years the coalition has supported safe pedestrian pathways, cycling and rolling throughout York County, and has helped companies and organizations through walkability assessments. The group evaluates factors such as the presence or absence of marked crosswalks, signage for schools/school zones, lighting, where sidewalks may be discontinuous, speed limits and more.
“Through our group and others, we have performed walkability assessments in Clover, York, Tega Cay and other places to assess through eyes on the ground how to make it safer for persons to walk or bicycle to a destination like a downtown, a school or a park,” Wojcik explained.
The coalition and representation from organizations such as the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Mill Police Department, Fort Mill’s planning department, SCDOT, community members and many more assessed four different routes around the high school. Wojcik was also joined by Cam Davis, an exercise science major in her PESH 381 research methods class.
“We took a variety of photos and are compiling our reports to give back to Fort Mill High School,” Wocjik said. “We have some suggestions of ways that they can enhance pedestrian safety and encourage them to take lower traffic routes versus going out on roads like Highway 21.”
That’s not where Wojcik’s focus on walkability ends: she will co-lead another assessment with world-leading expert Mark Fenton at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting in May in Boston.
About Janet Wojcik
In addition to earning a Ph.D. in human nutrition, foods, and exercise from Virginia Tech, Wojcik holds a M.S. in physical education from Canisius College and a B.S. in sport and exercise studies from State University of New York at Buffalo.
Wojcik is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and is an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist and ACSM/American Cancer Society Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer. Her areas of expertise are: exercise physiology; physical activity for special and aging populations; policies, systems, and environments to improve physical activity and access to healthy foods; and active transportation.
She has previously been awarded the Bank of America Endowed Professorship from the Richard W. Riley College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences to enhance her scholarship in her research interests.
For more information, contact Nicole Chisari, social media manager, at 803/323-2403 or e-mail chisarin@winthrop.edu.
