Speed limits are currently determined by a calculation that considers only the status quo of vehicular velocity. Standard practices for speed limit setting and legislators should prioritize the safety of community members, according to this article.
Tiffany Chu, founder of transportation company Remix, asserts that American we need to rethink the way we set speed limits in the United States. While transportation laymen may hope that speed limits are set by a calculation determining the safest rules for traveling by car in a given space, the reality it that safety considerations are simply not a part of the calculation. Instead, says Chu, speed limits are set "by the speed at or below which 85 percent of the motorists drive on a given road, an outdated guideline promoted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)."
Chu reminds that speeding has played a part in about a third of traffic collision fatalities in the United States over the past two decades and that, given these statistics, government agencies need to revise the methods for setting speed limits and introduce speed-reducing street design mechanisms on busy roadways.
For Chu, design is at the center of the solution, pointing to a July report released by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), which advocates for speed limits set by criteria like density and activity level in addition to designing slow zones. "We cannot usher in a multimodal future without lowering speeds and making streets safe for all users. We must support the work of those undoing harmful legacy methods, and encourage the adoption of policies that embrace and emphasize design," advises Chu.
FULL STORY: Why Slower Commutes Can Be A Good Thing
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.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
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
Town of Zionsville
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.