In an effort to make the city's streets safer for the legions of distracted pedestrians gazing downwards at guidebooks and phone screens, NYC is taking a page from its compatriots in London and installing exhortations to “LOOK!” in its crosswalks.
Sarah Maslin Nir and Nate Schweber report on the newest front in 's campaign to improve traffic safety across New York. Borrowing an idea from the streets of London, at more than 100 of the city's most dangerous intersections, "LOOK!" will be stenciled into crosswalks to remind distracted pedestrians to watch out for increasingly distracted drivers.
"As befitting New York City, where most
crosswalk conversing is conducted at the level of a bark, the white
thermoplastic lettering includes an exclamation point," write Nir and Schweber. "London's signs
use no such brusque emphasis... In London, the signs command you to 'Look
Left' or 'Look Right.' In New York, the directional guide can be found
in the form of Cookie Monster-like irises inside the vowels that
indicate the direction of oncoming traffic."
"Ms. Sadik-Kahn said a corresponding safety campaign for drivers would
include advertisements emblazoned on 300 city buses and bus shelters.
One ad features horizontal pictures of three pairs of eyes, each looking
to a different side as if watching a tennis match. The picture reads, 'Mom was right. Look before you cross the street.'"
FULL STORY: A Reminder to Look(!) Both Ways
Studies: Drivers Far More Distracted Than Walkers
Two articles in national publications share findings from recent studies that make it harder to accept the "distracted walking" excuse for increased traffic fatalities.
Ford Coins a New Term to Protect Cars from Pedestrians: 'Petextrians'
The Ford Motor Company picks a side in the traffic safety debate.
Let’s End Traffic Stops
The technology to make traffic enforcement obsolete is becoming available. But in the U.S. willing to use it?
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Median Home Prices Top $1 Million in Over 200 California Towns
Towns once known for their affordability are seeing sharply rising home prices.
LA County Receives Reconnecting Communities Grants
Seven grant awards totaling $162 million will be used for planning, capital projects, and regional partnerships to reduce environmental harm and improve access in disadvantaged communities.
Seine Pollution Could Hinder Olympic Swim Events
Events like the triathlon could be impacted if tests continue to reveal high levels of dangerous bacteria in Paris’ famous river.
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
City of Cleburne
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
