A simple, innovative idea behind Seattle's Vision Zero initiative: good driving behavior should generate more positive outcomes.
"For a few days last week, Seattle DOT staffers joined with police officers and local street-safety advocates to hand out $5 Starbucks gift cards at several different locations, including an elementary school, a busy bridge crossing, and a protected bike lane downtown," reports Sarah Goodyear.
State grants for pedestrian and bicyclist safety funded the giveaways, which are one piece of Seattle's Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities in the city by 2030.
As far as anyone at Seattle DOT knows, the reward program is the only of its kind in the country—although more and more cities are setting Vision Zero goals. Goodyear reports that the rewards received positive feedback:, which is one of the program's primary goals. "The hope is that all of those people will now have a positive association with driving, walking, and biking safely at school drop-off and beyond," writes Goodyear.
FULL STORY: Seattle to Law-Abiding Drivers: Here's a Gift Card
Seattle's Vision Zero Program Emphasizes Safe Systems Over Enforcement
Looking for traffic safety improvements while responding to 2020's Black Lives Matter protests, Seattle has spent much of the past two years implementing a Safe System approach to move closer to its Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities.
Crunching the Safety Data Reveals the Need to Improve Traffic Lights
After completing an eight-year study of traffic collisions, the Seattle Department of Transportation realized that one way to immediately improve traffic safety would be to improve signalization an key intersections.
Fixing Seattle's Most Dangerous Road
In-depth coverage of the improvement efforts underway on Seattle's Rainier Avenue.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.
Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
Expanding the city’s ultra low-emission zone has resulted in dramatic drops in particle emissions in inner and outer London.
The Unseen Aftermath: Wildfires’ Lasting Health and Emotional Burden
Wildfires in Los Angeles not only pose immediate physical health risks but also lead to long-term respiratory problems and mental health struggles, underscoring the need for a coordinated public health response to mitigate their lasting effects.
Public Parks as Climate Resilience Tools
Designed with green infrastructure, parks can mitigate flooding, reduce urban heat, and enhance climate resilience, offering cost-effective solutions to environmental challenges while benefiting communities.
What the Proposed Federal Budget Means for Transit, Rail
The proposed FY 2025 budget keeps spending for public transit and passenger rail essentially the same as in 2024.
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.
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Edmonds
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research