The city’s efforts to improve road safety have been outweighed by other factors such as larger vehicle sizes.
A report from the think tank Circulate San Diego outlines some of the reasons why traffic deaths in the Southern California city have risen in the past decade despite the city’s pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
As Andrew Bowen explains, the rise in pedestrian deaths in San Diego “reflects a broader national increase, driven by factors like larger vehicle use, high-speed incidents, and insufficient street lighting.”
The report commends the city’s plans for street safety, but notes that it has not acted with enough urgency to make changes to its roadways. “Among the report's recommendations are a dramatic increase in spending on traffic safety infrastructure and greater use of "quick-build" projects, which modify a street's design using paint and flexible bollards rather than concrete and asphalt.” The report also recommends automated traffic enforcement as a more affordable and equitable solution.
FULL STORY: Report suggests bigger vehicles, slow construction timelines led to San Diego's 'Vision Zero' failure
How “Proven Safety Countermeasures” Save Lives
A bill named in honor of a U.S. diplomat killed while on her bicycle would let state DOTs access full federal funding for road safety projects.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Jacksonville Takes Action on Vision Zero
The city is implementing its first-ever Vision Zero Action Plan in an effort to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths and serious injuries.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
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.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research