Critics of the state’s ‘Be Safe. Drive Smart.’ campaign say the messaging puts the onus on pedestrians and cyclists while failing to address the lack of robust pedestrian and bike infrastructure in many of its cities.

Writing in Next City, Benton Graham describes the criticism faced by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for its messaging approach to road safety, which in most cases places the blame for crashes squarely on pedestrians (the top reason for pedestrian deaths, according to the department’s website, is “Pedestrians failing to yield the right-of-way to vehicles”) and cyclists.
Meanwhile, “While the state agency lists safety as its number one priority, it only dedicated around 4% of its funds to safety initiatives in its 10-year plan,” Graham notes. Jay Blazek Crossley, executive director of Farm & City and an advocate for safer roads, says “TxDOT investing in safe, multimodal streets is the most important thing that it can do to make roads less dangerous.”
Advocates like Blazek Crossley see cause for optimism in recent state and local initiatives, however. “In addition to infrastructure changes, Blazek Crossley said there is opportunity for safety improvements through policy changes.” FOr example, “The Lisa Torrey Smith Act passed during the 2021 Texas Legislative Session requires drivers to stop and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.” TxDOT also recently added a pedestrian design section to its roadway design manual, and cities like Houston are making serious investments in bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
FULL STORY: Texas Is Trying To Fight Pedestrian And Cyclist Deaths With Words. Is It Enough?

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom
The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland