The city’s efforts to improve road safety have been outweighed by other factors such as larger vehicle sizes.
A report from the think tank Circulate San Diego outlines some of the reasons why traffic deaths in the Southern California city have risen in the past decade despite the city’s pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
As Andrew Bowen explains, the rise in pedestrian deaths in San Diego “reflects a broader national increase, driven by factors like larger vehicle use, high-speed incidents, and insufficient street lighting.”
The report commends the city’s plans for street safety, but notes that it has not acted with enough urgency to make changes to its roadways. “Among the report's recommendations are a dramatic increase in spending on traffic safety infrastructure and greater use of "quick-build" projects, which modify a street's design using paint and flexible bollards rather than concrete and asphalt.” The report also recommends automated traffic enforcement as a more affordable and equitable solution.
FULL STORY: Report suggests bigger vehicles, slow construction timelines led to San Diego's 'Vision Zero' failure
How “Proven Safety Countermeasures” Save Lives
A bill named in honor of a U.S. diplomat killed while on her bicycle would let state DOTs access full federal funding for road safety projects.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Jacksonville Takes Action on Vision Zero
The city is implementing its first-ever Vision Zero Action Plan in an effort to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths and serious injuries.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.
Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.
In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
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