The state is working on a $1 million pedestrian master plan to reduce traffic casualties.

The plan is being developed after Oahu had four pedestrian fatalities this year and the AARP, in 2008, ranked the state the most dangerous for pedestrians age 65 and over. AARP also says the state's senior citizen population will grow 40 percent by 2030.

State traffic engineers say the master plan will improve pedestrian safety by shifting the transportation emphasis from moving freight and passengers to providing places for people to walk, said Ken Tatsuguchi, engineering planning manager with the Transportation Department.

He said the plan will help the agency prioritize $7 billion in needed state roadway repairs and increase the continuity of pedestrian walkways.

He said the study will measure the density of foot traffic to find where people are going and prioritize needed improvements.

Transportation Director Brennon Morioka said the pedestrian plan could call for infrastructure upgrades to sidewalks, pavement markings and curb ramps, but also for educational public awareness programs such as Walk Wise Hawaii.

Another element of the plan is hooking up pedestrian walkways with transit centers and population centers such as shopping malls, he said.

In October the Department of Transportation hired a contractor to create the plan, with a draft expected to be ready next year. The federal government is paying for about 80 percent of the plan, he said.

University of Hawaii civil engineering professor Panos Prevedouros said one of the most important parameters in a pedestrian plan is continuous paths that eliminate circuitous routes and discourage jaywalking.

A key part of the plan is getting accurate pedestrian counts to identify walkers' needs, such as adding or removing a crosswalk or a traffic light, he said.

The plan should also include a sidewalk quality assessment, determining whether sidewalks are too bumpy or incomplete, he said.

While Hawaii has adequate pedestrian facilities, it faces growing pedestrian safety issues because of the aging population and heavier foot traffic than in other large cities such as Houston, he said.

“;It's a matter of exposure,”; Prevedouros said. “;This is a pedestrian-busy community, so as a result you will have conflict and occasional accidents.”;

He said an additional citywide plan would be helpful since many pedestrian walkways are actually along city roads.

Tammy Mori, spokeswoman for the Transportation Department, said the plan comes as there is a drop in Hawaii's pedestrian fatalities since 2005, when 36 pedestrians died.

In 2009 pedestrian deaths fell to 16 from 21 the year before.

Mori said the drop in fatalities is attributable to a combination of factors, including police enforcement of traffic laws, educating the public about pedestrian safety, and actual improvements such as countdown crosswalk signals and pavement markings.