The latest edition of the annual report by Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition reports more and more death and tragedy on American streets and roads.
"[T]he number of people struck and killed while walking has grown a startling 35 percent since 2008," according to Laura Bliss, who shares news of the most recent version of the "Dangerous By Design" report for CityLab.
The report cites numerous reasons for the increase in pedestrian fatalities, but singles out one factor in particular: "overly wide arterials that give too much space to cars and too little to humans."
"High-speed, multi-lane avenues that underpin sprawling urban growth, as opposed to slower, narrower streets that support walkable neighborhoods, are 'consistently linked ... to higher rates of both traffic-related deaths for people walking and traffic-related deaths overall,'" writes Bliss, quoting the report's words directly.
Read the full story: American Roads Are Getting More Dangerous for Pedestrians
4 Proven Steps for Improved Pedestrian Safety
Experts from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) present four steps for reducing the number of pedestrians killed by drivers.
Zero Traffic Deaths Isn't as Far Fetched as It Sounds
Even supporters of Vision Zero—a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities from roadways adopted by cities and states all over the United States—doubt that such lofty ambitions are possible. But there are plenty of reasons to believe in the cause.
Atlanta Lowers Speed Limits Citywide
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
Bay area voters pass ‘crucial lifeline’ for transit
Proposition RTM, which will fund Bay Area transit, has approval from 61% of voters as of 9:45 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Voters across the country reject data centers
Dozens of communities voted on measures to restrict the buildout of data centers.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
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