What lessons can be learned from the Netherlands and Germany on promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health?
Professor John Pucher of Rutgers University publishes his recent paper, "Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany" on the web with a personal note. The article previously appeared in the September 2003 issues of the American Journal of Public Health and the American Journal of Health Promotion, which are available only to subscribers. From the journal article abstract: "Objectives. We examine the public health consequences of unsafe andinconvenient walking and bicycling conditions in American cities and suggestimprovements based on successful policies in The Netherlands and Germany.Methods. Secondary data from national travel and crash surveys are used tocompute fatality trends from 1975 to 2001 and fatality and injury rates for pedestriansand cyclists in The Netherlands, Germany, and the USA in 2000.Results: Whereas walking and cycling account for less than a tenth of all urbantrips in American cities, they account for a third of all trips in Germany and for half oftrips in The Netherlands. American pedestrians and cyclists are much more likely to getkilled than Dutch and German pedestrians and cyclists, both on a per-trip and per-kmbasis. They are also far more likely to be injuredDiscussion: On the basis of Dutch and German experience, we propose a widerange of measures to improve the safety of walking and cycling in American cities, bothto reduce fatalities and injuries and to encourage more walking and cycling, thus providing much needed physical exercise for increasingly overweight Americans." [Editor's note: There is a link to the full PDF of the article at the bottom of the Pucher's personal note.]
Thanks to Congress on New Urbanism
FULL STORY: Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany

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.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie