SAFETY

Field safety guidelines

• Check conditions first: Look up weather, tide/river levels, air quality, and heat index before heading out. Avoid flood warnings, high winds, lightning, and extreme heat.
• Don’t enter floodwater: Even shallow moving water can sweep you off your feet, and it may hide hazards or contamination. Turn around, don’t drown.
• Mind the margins: Stay off active construction sites, rail corridors, and fenced or posted areas. Keep clear of edges, unstable banks, and slick algae-covered surfaces.
• Watch your footing: After rain, surfaces can be slippery. Wear treaded shoes; avoid stepping on painted markings, metal grates, or mossy stone when wet.
• Be seen, be predictable: If walking or riding at dawn/dusk, use lights, reflectivity, and stick to the right. Make eye contact at crossings; obey signals.
• Hydrate and shade up: Bring water, sun protection, and take breaks—especially on exposed waterfronts and paved corridors that amplify heat.
• Go with someone: When exploring unfamiliar areas or low-traffic routes, consider a buddy. Share your route and ETA with a friend.
• Respect working waterfronts: Give space to trucks, forklifts, cranes, and vessel lines. Never step over a taut line; avoid mooring hardware and restricted piers.
• Wildlife awareness: Do not feed birds or mammals. Observe from a distance, especially during nesting season. Pack out all trash to protect waterways.
• Ear/eye to the environment: Headphones low or off near traffic and water. If an area feels unsafe, trust your instincts and leave.

Community conduct

• Share the space: Yield to people with mobility devices, strollers, service animals, and maintenance crews. Slow is polite on narrow paths.
• Photograph thoughtfully: Avoid identifiable photos of children or private property. Ask permission for close portraits or business interiors.
• Care for places: Don’t move cones, barricades, or survey markers. Report hazards and clogged drains to city services instead of DIY fixes that may create risk.
• Night walks: Prefer well-lit routes. If documenting conditions after dark, work in pairs and keep sessions brief.

Content boundaries and disclaimers

• Informational only: Articles, maps, and guides on waterstreet.blog are for general information and storytelling. They are not professional engineering, safety, or emergency advice.
• Conditions change: Urban edges are dynamic. Infrastructure, access, tides, and weather shift quickly. Verify current conditions before a visit.
• Your responsibility: You are responsible for your own choices and safety when visiting locations described on this site.
• Emergencies: In an emergency, call your local emergency number immediately (e.g., 911 in the U.S./Canada, 112 in the EU/UK). For non-emergency city issues, use your municipality’s service line or app.

Reporting issues
See a hazard on a route we’ve featured? Please:

• Avoid the area if unsafe.
• Report it to your city’s service line (e.g., 311) with location details and a photo if safe to capture.
• Send us a note so we can update the page:

Accessibility and inclusion

• We aim for routes and guides that consider mobility, sensory, and cognitive accessibility. If a post overlooks a barrier, tell us and we’ll correct it.
• Alt text and transcripts: We provide alt text for images and transcripts or captions for audio/video. Flag any misses and we’ll fix them.

Gear checklist (optional)

• Footwear with tread
• Water, hat, sunscreen, and layers
• Small flashlight or clip light; reflective band
• Phone with offline map; portable battery
• Basic first-aid and hand sanitizer
• Trash/recycling bag and gloves (for safe, light cleanup only)

Stay safe, stay curious
The edges of the city can teach us a lot—about movement, maintenance, and care. With a little preparation and respect for the water and the work, they’re places you can enjoy safely. If you have tips we should add, email .