Making Safer Streets for Aging Populations

This report from NPR looks at ways cities are changing their deign habits to accommodate older people.

"Complete Streets promotes revamping roads to make them safer for all users. So far, 24 states and 200 localities have signed on. Bipartisan legislation in Congress would require all states and regions to come up with their own such plans for future projects.

McCann says a typical makeover is what's called a "Road Diet" - turning four lanes of traffic into three, with a center lane serving as a turn lane, and bike lanes on the outside.

Local groups often object at first, saying the change will worsen traffic, McCann says. But 'you can actually move a lot of cars at slower speeds very safely,' she says. 'And the time costs for the drivers are in the realm of 30 to 60 seconds.'"