Road fatalities fell by a meager 4 percent in the first half of 2023.

According to a press release from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), pedestrian deaths in the United States dropped by 4 percent in the first half of 2023, but remain 19 percent higher than in 2019 before the pandemic began.
The rise in pedestrian deaths is even more stark when looking back at the past decade – fatalities have risen a staggering 58% between the first half of 2013 and 2023.
The GHSA report attributes the rise in deaths to a steep drop in traffic enforcement, road designs that prioritize fast-moving traffic, and a lack of adequate pedestrian infrastructure in many U.S. cities. “To help address this pedestrian safety crisis, GHSA supports a holistic solution rooted in the Safe System approach that is outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). Each of the five elements of this approach – safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads and post-crash care – combine to create a multi-layered safety net that can protect people inside and outside of vehicles.”
In a related article in Streetsblog USA, Kea Wilson argues that a Safe Systems approach is necessary but not sufficient to end pedestrian deaths. Wilson writes, “the particular “Safe Systems” that America is building are nowhere near sufficient to meet the scale of our roadway crisis.” Further, “We have not yet meaningfully reckoned with which layers of that system have the most potential to save lives, and which ones are most subject to failure,” nor directed the appropriate resources to strengthening the most effective tools. “And we certainly have not acknowledged that all these endless safety nets just aren’t as necessary when Americans are less dependent on cars to meet their every need, or the essential role that simply having fewer drivers can play in preventing driver violence.”
FULL STORY: U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Fall Slightly in First Half of 2023, but Remain Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

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