Record numbers of pedestrians have been killed by drivers in recent years. The federal government says a "team effort" will be necessary to stop the carnage.
"The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) last week released its first Pedestrian Safety Action Plan," reports Chris Teale.
The plan calls for the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to "swiftly implement" public education about street safety; "help governments improve the location of pedestrian crossings; and produce a guide on how streetlights can be designed to promote safety for pedestrians," according to Teale.
"Agencies will also identify ways to set appropriate speed limits and reduce speed-related fatalities, and investigate the effect of the use of electronic devices on pedestrian safety."
"The action plan comes as the U.S. continues to wrestle with a growth in pedestrian fatalities on its streets, especially in cities. NHTSA said 17% of all traffic fatalities in 2019 were pedestrians; that year, the administration said 6,205 people were killed, an increase of 44% from 2010."
More details on the Action Plan and the political context for pedestrian safety at the federal level are included in the source article.
FULL STORY: USDOT pushes swift implementation of first pedestrian safety plan
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.
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.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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.