Pedestrian Safety

Virginia Set to Pass Bill Lowering Minimum Speed Limit
The Virginia General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow localities to set speed limits as low as 15 miles per hour.

Oregon DOT Studies Impact of Race and Income on Road Safety
The findings of a recent memo highlight the disproportionate effects of unsafe road conditions on low-income people and BIPOC communities.

Zero Traffic Deaths Isn't as Far Fetched as It Sounds
Even supporters of Vision Zero—a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities from roadways adopted by cities and states all over the United States—doubt that such lofty ambitions are possible. But there are plenty of reasons to believe in the cause.

Pedestrian Safety Still Not a Priority in the United States
Dangerous by Design 2021 quantifies the transportation sector's ongoing neglect of the health and safety of people performing that basic human action of taking a walk.

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.

Portland had an 'Unusual and Tragic' Year for Traffic Deaths
The Portland Bureau of Transportation's annual traffic crash report highlights the city's slow progress towards its Vision Zero goal.

Opinion: 'Performative' Pedestrian Improvements Need Deeper Scrutiny
Minor pedestrian-oriented improvements alone won't improve walkability if infrastructure still prioritizes fast-moving vehicles, according to this article.

Jaywalking Legalized in Virginia
Beginning in March, police will no longer be able to stop people for crossing the street outside of a crosswalk, a small component of reform intended to protect BIPOC from the historically discriminatory application of traffic laws.

U.S. DOT Releases First-Ever Pedestrian Safety Plan
Record numbers of pedestrians have been killed by drivers in recent years. The federal government says a "team effort" will be necessary to stop the carnage.

Pedestrian Safety Experts: Decriminalize Jaywalking
Angie Schmitt and Charles T. Brown make nine arguments against the criminalization of jaywalking.

'Pedestrians First' Measures Walkability for Babies, Toddlers, Caregivers, Everyone
The ITDP's new Pedestrians First tool describes why and how to improve walking conditions, and provides comprehensive analysis of walkability for 1000 cities.

Back-Up Driver of Autonomous Vehicle Charged With Negligent Homicide of Pedestrian
The broader safety implications of the death of Elaine Hertzberg after being struck by an Uber autonomous vehicle in Tempe is still being litigated. Last week, the back-up driver of the vehicle was charged with negligent homicide.

How to Produce Equitable Pedestrian Plans
The majority of pedestrian master plans consider how to make equitable walking infrastructure. Less than half of plans implement strategies to address the fact that people of color are disproportionately represented in pedestrian fatalities.

20 Is Plenty in D.C., Starting Today
Speed limits in Washington, D.C. are safer for everyone.

Atlanta Lowers Speed Limits Citywide
Vision Zero arrives in one of the country's most car-centric big cities.

State Legislation Responds to Pedestrian Safety Failures in Connecticut
So far in 2020, drivers have killed 15 pedestrians on Connecticut roads.

Refugees Learn to Survive as Pedestrians on Houston's Dangerous Streets
For one refugee family, living in Houston has meant facing a host of new challenges as they traverse the city’s roadways without a car.

Lessons From the Most Dangerous Pedestrian Environment in the Country
The city of Orlando, Florida is examined as the worst example of the nation's pedestrian safety crisis.

Seattle Expands Speed Limit Reductions
After an initial wave of speed limit reductions in 2016, the city of Seattle will embark on a major expansion of speed limit reductions over the next 18 months.

School Proximity and Speeding Tickets: Still Can't Win Safety Improvements
A loss for traffic safety advocates in Seattle.
Pagination
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