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.
Writing in Next City, Benton Graham describes the criticism faced by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for its messaging approach to road safety, which in most cases places the blame for crashes squarely on pedestrians (the top reason for pedestrian deaths, according to the department’s website, is “Pedestrians failing to yield the right-of-way to vehicles”) and cyclists.
Meanwhile, “While the state agency lists safety as its number one priority, it only dedicated around 4% of its funds to safety initiatives in its 10-year plan,” Graham notes. Jay Blazek Crossley, executive director of Farm & City and an advocate for safer roads, says “TxDOT investing in safe, multimodal streets is the most important thing that it can do to make roads less dangerous.”
Advocates like Blazek Crossley see cause for optimism in recent state and local initiatives, however. “In addition to infrastructure changes, Blazek Crossley said there is opportunity for safety improvements through policy changes.” FOr example, “The Lisa Torrey Smith Act passed during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session requires drivers to stop and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.” TxDOT also recently added a pedestrian design section to its roadway design manual, and cities like Houston are making serious investments in bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
FULL STORY: Texas Is Trying To Fight Pedestrian And Cyclist Deaths With Words. Is It Enough?
Why Are U.S. Roads So Deadly?
Despite an abundance of Vision Zero pledges, U.S. roads remain some of the most dangerous in the developed world.
Opinion: Traffic Calming Shouldn’t Be Optional
Road infrastructure that fails to make dangerous driving behavior feel risky to drivers is ineffective in protecting pedestrians and people on bikes.
Seattle Remains Far From Its Vision Zero Goals
One Seattle councilmember is calling for more urgency in addressing the city’s rising traffic deaths.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
L.A. County Towns Clash Over Homelessness Policies
Local governments often come to different conclusions about how to address homelessness within their respective borders, but varying approaches only exacerbate the problem.
A Mixed-Use Vision for Houston Landfill Site
A local nonprofit is urging the city to consider adding mixed-use development to the site, which city officials plan to turn into a stormwater detention facility.
Milwaukee County Makes Substantial Progress on Homelessness
In 2022, the county’s point-in-time count of unhoused people reflected just 18 individuals, the lowest in the country.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.
