One Seattle councilmember is calling for more urgency in addressing the city’s rising traffic deaths.
Despite Seattle’s stated commitment to Vision Zero, writes Lizz Giordano in the South Seattle Emerald, the city saw record high traffic fatalities in 2021. “And this year is proving nearly as deadly with 10 traffic deaths so far, averaging out to about one person being killed every other week on Seattle streets,” Giordano adds.
City Councilmember Tammy Morales calls the deaths “unacceptable,” saying the city needs to shift from studies to solutions. “And for her that means acting on the bike and pedestrian master plans the City has developed.”
Giordano points out that less than 1 percent of roads in Seattle have a protected bike lane, while close to 25 percent have no sidewalks. According to Morales, Districts 2 and 5 are disproportionately affected by the lack of safe infrastructure. The article adds that “Of the 19 deaths last year and so far this year in District 2, nearly 75% involved a pedestrian or bicyclist.”
As the only part of the city with at-grade light rail, District 2 would also benefit from rail safety improvements. “Since the line opened in 2009, 10 people have been killed in collisions with light rail trains with 8 of those fatalities occurring in the Rainier Valley.”
Pointing to safety measures in other parts of the city, “Morales wants to see more safety projects like the ones SDOT installed along Rainier Avenue which included crosswalks, flashing beacons, hardened left lane lines to slow turning drivers, and leading pedestrian intervals which give people on foot a head start at traffic signals.”
FULL STORY: Funding ‘Solutions Not Studies’ to End Seattle Traffic Deaths – South Seattle Emerald
Traffic Safety Efforts Chug Ahead — Too Slowly for Some
Around the United States, traffic deaths are growing or plateauing, yet efforts to make roads safer still face political opposition.
Texas Road Safety Messaging Blames Pedestrians, Ignores Structural Flaws
Critics of the state’s ‘Be Safe. Drive Smart.’ campaign say the messaging puts the onus on pedestrians and cyclists while failing to address the lack of robust pedestrian and bike infrastructure in many of its cities.
New York Legislature To Vote on Complete Streets Bills
A set of proposed laws would make streets safer for all road users in an effort to reduce traffic deaths.
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.
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.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie