Safety

Red Los Angeles Fire Department fire truck parked on pier in San Pedro, California at Port of Los Angeles.

Safe Streets Ballot Measure Runs Into Unexpected Opposition

Los Angeles's Measure HLA would compel the city to make serious upgrades for walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation, all in the name of saving lives. Its biggest opponent: the firefighters union.

February 26, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Silhouette of woman in long coat walking on darkened city street alone at night, passing brightly lit sotrefront.

Designing Safer Cities

For women and other vulnerable groups, navigating the urban space can be fraught with real and perceived dangers.

November 19, 2023 - The Conversation

View of busy street at night with full moon in background in Stockholm, Sweden

The Rise of the ‘Night Mayor’

More cities are acknowledging the unique role of nighttime activities in urban life and the need for special ‘night governance.’

June 5, 2023 - Governing

Aerial Philadelphia cityscape by night with the City Hall tower in the foreground and Ben Franklin bridge spanning Delaware river in the back

Report: American Downtowns Safer Than You Think

A Brookings Institution study reveals that crime rates in major cities have risen, but downtown districts account for a negligible part of the growth.

April 12, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Coronavirus Social Distancing

Lessons from Pandemics: Comparing Urban and Rural Risks

Many people assume that infectious disease risks make cities dangerous, but this is generally untrue. Other factors have more effect on pandemic risk and mortality rates, making cities safer and healthier than rural areas overall.

April 14, 2020 - Todd Litman

Los Angeles Subway

L.A. Metro Report Examines How Women Travel

Findings from a new study about the mobility needs and concerns of women in Los Angeles will inform future initiatives and planning.

October 7, 2019 - Streetsblog LA

Woman Walking London

An App That Maps Safer Cities for Women

The Safe & the City app uses data to help women find the safest routes in cities.

March 17, 2019 - TechCrunch

Famous Mexico City traffic

Beat Tries to Top Uber in Mexico City with Focus on Safety

Ride-hailing company Beat hopes its dedicated safety team and linked accounts service will make its service attractive to women in Mexico’s capital.

January 12, 2019 - Forbes

San Francisco Street

Deadly New York Limousine Crash Prompts Oversight Questions

The deadliest transportation accident in recent years has some asking whether more can be done to regulate modified vehicles, including limos.

October 12, 2018 - NPR

Multi-Modalism

For Tiny Vehicles, Safety Comes With Numbers

Motorists tend to look out for hazards they expect. If tiny vehicles proliferate, including electric scooters, greater safety will follow.

October 11, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Amtrak Calfornia locomotive at station in San Jose

States Risk Losing Billions in Funding for Trains if They Don't Act on Safety

The Federal Transit Administration cannot award funds to states that don’t have federally approved safety-monitoring programs in place. On Monday, the agency warned a number of states that they needed prove they've undertaken these programs.

April 20, 2018 - Sacramento Bee

Geese

3-D Crosswalks Slow Traffic, For a While

Traffic officials around the world are testing 3-D crosswalks in hopes of slowing traffic, and having some success

November 14, 2017 - The Boston Globe

Miami Bus

Research: Bus Riders Safer Than Car Drivers

Taking the bus might not feel as comfortable as going by car, but according to this research from Montreal, it's safer.

February 2, 2017 - CityLab

Empty Swings

Should Risky Playgrounds Make a Comeback?

From the mid-19th century to the early 1980s, playgrounds were designed public spaces that would likely horrify parents today. Swiss urban planner Gabriela Burkhalter has studied how these public spaces have evolved over the years.

January 24, 2017 - CityLab

Woman on Transit

Building Cities to Meet the Needs of Women

Men are often overrepresented in consultations about how city facilities are built. To account for this, planners need to seek out women's comments and look for ways to better serve them, argues Alexander Starritt.

December 18, 2016 - Fast Co.Exist

Bollards

What Does Architecture for Security Look Like?

There's a difference between designing for safety and designing for fear.

August 8, 2016 - Motherboard

LA Metro, Wilshire and Western

Los Angeles' Metro Launches New Phase in Effort to Curb Sexual Harassment

After first launching its program in the Spring, law enforcement and Metro are reminding riders to report instances of sexual harassment on trains and buses

October 26, 2015 - The Source (Metro's blog)

Making Transportation Options Safer for Women

A post by the World Band surveys efforts around the world to mainstream gender on public transport—an effort challenged substantially by continued risks to the safety of women.

January 18, 2015 - The World Bank

How Your House's Garage Induces More Speeding and Less Walking

Throughout North America's auto-oriented suburbs, front-facing garages are a common feature of home design. According to Brent Toderian, that design decision has a significant impact on speeding and the quality of neighborhoods.

January 6, 2014 - Huffington Post British Columbia

Black Friday Ops

When millions of Americans venture forth from their food comas tomorrow to their nearest mall, the shopping environment may have changed from last year. By design, most shoppers are unlikely to notice the increased security measures.

November 28, 2013 - The New York Times

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