Pedestrians

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.

Infrastructure Bill Takes Small Steps Toward Pedestrian Safety
While road funding still dominates the newly passed infrastructure bill, pedestrian advocates praise the bill's modest investment in active transportation and road safety.

Making the Golden Gate Bridge Safer for Cyclists
The Golden Gate Bridge District is looking at ways to improve safety on the bridge's narrow, windy bike and pedestrian paths.

Americans Walk More Than Ever
An analysis of searches for walking directions shows dramatic increases in walking in cities across the country.

To Protect Pedestrians, Install More Bollards
Roadway designs protect drivers and construction workers with robust barriers. Why don't we protect pedestrians in the same way?

Women Avoid Walking Due to Fear of Assault, Survey Says
A global survey shows that women around the world overwhelmingly cite fear of assault as the top reason for avoiding walking.

Against Victim Blaming
One common scapegoat for rising pedestrian death rates is "distracted walking." But there is little reason to believe that smartphone-wielding pedestrians are a major cause of roadway carnage.
Pagination
Caltrans
San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Planning NEXT
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
Lassen County Planning and Building Services
City of San Carlos
National Capital Planning Commission
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.