New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has been criticized by pedestrian safety activists and, when a driver ran a red light killing two young children, hundreds came out to confront the mayor in person.
Ninth Street has been the site of a number of deadly crashes, and on Monday March 5th, two children died when struck by a driver. "The details of the crash — the words the mothers reportedly cried out as they lay on the pavement, the photos of a Brooklyn street in broad daylight covered in blood — only furthered the community’s sense that this could not go down as just another 'accident,'" Aaron Gordon writes in the Village Voice.
Doug Gordon (not related to the author of the Village Voice article) a long-time pedestrian advocate and critic of Mayor Bill de Blasio's lack of action on pedestrian safety, "…called for the rally outside the YMCA, where de Blasio exercises most mornings, to demand an immediate redesign of Ninth Street to improve intersection safety." The rally, which took place the next day, was the site of a face to face exchange between the mayor and the activist.
"Gordon and other advocates argue that wide streets like Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue allow cars to go much too fast for a neighborhood with lots of foot traffic and busy crosswalks," The Village Voice story reports.
Pedestrian deaths are up around the country, and while New York is in the midst of a Vision Zero plan, many don't see enough getting done.
FULL STORY: Not Just Another ‘Accident’

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.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie