Despite more bicyclists on its streets, Philadelphia has seen a marked reduction in bike crashes and deaths. With double the amount of cyclists on downtown streets since 2002, the decline is being attributed to more visibility to motorists.
Paul Nussbaum reports on Philadelphia's dramatic decline in accidents involving bicycles, from a high of 1,040 in 1998 to 553 in 2010, which officials and advocates attribute to the "safety in numbers" phenomenon.
"'Where cars expect to find bicyclists and pedestrians, drivers are
more cognizant of cyclists and pedestrians,' said Alex Doty, executive
director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. He cited a
study in Portland, Ore., that found a doubling of the number of bicycles
reduced the crash risk by one-third."
"I know I get better
treatment now than I did 10 years ago, or even five years ago," Doty
said. "Drivers have a better idea what to do. Though there is still
quite a bit of room for improvement."
"If more biking means safer biking, safer biking is likely to produce more biking," says Nussbaum.
FULL STORY: More bicyclists means fewer accidents, Phila. finds
Study: Safety in Bike Numbers Found on the Streets of Boulder, Colorado
The high mode share of bikers in Boulder, Colorado allowed researchers to verify findings already documented by researchers in Europe.
How Transit Architecture Impacts Real and Perceived Safety
More than a third of Americans believe major transit systems are too unsafe to ride. The built environment can change that.
PeopleForBikes Urges Action on Highway Safety Rule Changes
The bike advocacy group says recently proposed changes to federal road safety regulations would help reduce traffic deaths and improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
