Pedestrians
FHWA Proposes Changes to Highway Safety Requirements
The proposed rule change would require states to include vulnerable road users in their road safety plans.
Safe Streets Ballot Measure Runs Into Unexpected Opposition
Los Angeles's Measure HLA would compel the city to make serious upgrades for walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation, all in the name of saving lives. Its biggest opponent: the firefighters union.
The Vicious Cycle at the Heart of Pedestrian Safety
When people feel unsafe, they walk less; with fewer pedestrians, walking becomes less safe.
A Little-Known Loophole Puts Cyclists at Risk
Crosswalk laws in most U.S. states don’t offer legal protections to people on bikes, scooters, or mobility devices.
Report: Walking Rates Down in All US States
While walking trips decline, driving is back to near-pre-pandemic levels.
Crosswalks Near NYC Schools More Dangerous Than Average
A child and a crossing guard were killed in school crosswalks within one week as the NYPD cuts crossing guard jobs.
Louisiana Town Sets Permanent Curfew for Walking and Biking
Public perceptions about noise and drugs have led the city of Kaplan in Louisiana to prohibit walking and biking at night.
2022 Deadliest Year for Pedestrians in Four Decades
Pedestrian deaths reached a four-decade high last year, signaling the failure of Vision Zero policies in most U.S. cities.
The Joy of Walking
An essay meditating on the simple pleasures of a good walk.
Chicago Could Start Plowing Sidewalks Next Winter
Keeping sidewalks free of snow has historically been the task of adjacent property owners, forcing pedestrians and people with mobility challenges to navigate a patchwork of conditions. A new ordinance would place the responsibility on the city.
Op-Ed: A Bold but Attainable Vision for Seattle’s Third Avenue
The editorial board of The Urbanist lays out their plan for a reimagined Third Avenue that plays to the strengths of the corridor while improving safety and transit service.
Opinion: California Jaywalking Law a Step in Right Direction
A new law doesn’t fully decriminalize jaywalking, but bars law enforcement from issuing citations to pedestrians when crossings aren’t ‘truly dangerous.’
Why So Many Pedestrians Die on Freeways
Close to one fifth of pedestrian deaths in the United States happen on controlled-access freeways, suggesting a critical need for safety improvements on major roads.
Local Opposition Threatens San Diego’s Last ‘Slow Street’
Residents in Pacific Beach want the city to revise its design of the Diamond Street ‘slow street,’ the last remaining segment of pandemic-era pedestrian-oriented road in the city.
DIY Crosswalks Appear in Hollywood
A group claiming the city of Los Angeles fails to protect pedestrians is taking action on their own, painting a set of crosswalks at a busy residential intersection.
AARP Releases DIY Walk Audit
An updated 'walk audit toolkit' lets you assess pedestrian safety in your neighborhood and advocate for improvements.
Opinion: Road Safety Data Should Include Close Calls
Even in the absence of lethal collisions, the experience of repeated near-misses can discourage pedestrians from walking and degrade public perception of road safety.
Caltrans Issues New Complete Streets Policy
A policy released by the California Department of Transportation in December will require Complete Streets elements in all state road projects.
Milwaukee Traffic Calming Projects Take Aim at Reckless Driving
The city is using restriping, delineators, and other traffic calming measures to fight reckless driving and improve pedestrian safety.
'Beg Buttons' Quietly Appearing at East Bay Crosswalks
Critics of pedestrian crosswalk buttons say the devices, meant to help improve bus speeds, give pedestrians the 'absolute lowest priority' on city streets.
Pagination
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.