America's Killer Roads

20 August 2009 - 8:00am

This oped takes on American street design and blames it for causing countless road injuries and deaths.

Examples in other countries like Sweden show that simple infrastructural devices can greatly reduce accidents, according to Mark Rosenberg, a former assistant attorney general.

"They showed that this could be done cheaply. When Mylar - a strong polyester film - is supported by closely spaced plastic poles, it can keep cars from crossing the median. When the Swedes used this type of center barrier to separate the traffic going in opposite directions, they effectively prevented head-on collisions and the death rate on these roads fell by 70 percent to 80 percent."

Source: The Boston Globe, August 19, 2009
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If hundreds of people in your community raised reasonable concerns about a planning program you developed, how would you respond? Perhaps you might call a community meeting, or ask community elected officials to reach out to community leaders.