Many cities say they've adopted Vision Zero, but the numbers show they aren't actually getting any safer.
Dozens of cities have adopted "Vision Zero" campaigns, but according to reporting from Angie Schmitt, few are actually reducing traffic fatalities. 2016 was the second year in a row that American traffic fatalities went up, and cities with Vision Zero plans like Los Angeles, Denver, and Fort Lauderdale contributed to that trend.
Schmitt argues that to successfully implement these plans cities need to: set goals, be transparent with their progress, and name the departments responsible for improving safety. Too many cities like Los Angeles (where some traffic slowing measures have already been removed) changed their baselines when the city became yet more dangerous.
FULL STORY: Is Your City Committed to Vision Zero, or Just Paying Lip Service?
St. Louis Zeroing in on Safe Streets
The city is creating its first Department of Transportation and using hundreds of millions in federal funding to launch road safety projects.
Proposed Ballot Measure Would Require L.A. To Enforce Own Mobility Plan
The city's 2015 mobility plan was hailed as one of the nation's most ambitious, but progress toward its goals has been less than impressive.
Big Cities Make Pedestrian Safety a Priority
New data released Dec. 19 by NHTSA shows increased safety for those traveling by car, but pedestrian fatalities are 15% higher than in 2009. Plans by San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to increase ped safety are described by the WSJ.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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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.
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