Slow Streets

San Francisco Slow Streets Bucks Citywide Trend, Reducing Injuries by 61 Percent
Low-cost interventions aimed at slowing traffic are making a major impact on road safety.

Planning Year in Review 2022: Downtowns, Transportation, Climate Change
Part two of a review of the major themes, debates, and events of the year in planning that was 2022.

Opinion: Make Halloween Car-Free
Forget razor blades in apples. Henry Grabar argues the biggest threat on Halloween is much more mundane.

San Francisco Nixes Slow Street
Lake Street’s designation as a ‘slow street’ is overwhelmingly popular with residents. Why does the city plan to dismantle it?

San Francisco ‘Slow Streets’ Face Uncertain Future
The pandemic-era ‘slow streets’ experiment has met with mixed reviews from residents, prompting the city to consider the removal or adjustment of many segments.

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.

Miami Beach to Reopen Ocean Drive to Cars
The famous cruising strip was off-limits to cars during the pandemic. Now, the city is letting vehicles return with some pedestrian-oriented compromises.

Chicago Dismantles Leland 'Slow Street' Three Months Early
Citing neighborhood concerns, the city is ending the Slow Street program on Leland Street as more parks and beaches reopen, but advocates want to see more permanent traffic calming measures.

Pedestrian Malls in the 21st Century
The successes and failures of past pedestrian malls can inform the future of pandemic-induced "open streets" programs.

Learning from D.C.'s Slow Streets Programs
"Slow streets" is a popular concept, but residents and community advocates say officials have to do more to make implementation effective and equitable.

CicLAvia Helping Restaurants Keep Outdoor Dining
CicLAvia is working with the city to make its "al fresco dining" program permanent.

Car-Free Streets Benefit Restaurants, Yelp Survey Shows
Restaurants in areas designated as "slow streets" during the pandemic saw a boost in consumer interest.

Op-Ed: Don't Reverse the Progress Made by 'Pandemic Streets'
In many cities, the public realm saw a drastic shift towards pedestrian-oriented infrastructure. The L.A. Times editorial board argues we should keep it that way.

Opinion: U.S. Traffic Deaths are a Regulatory Failure
One writer argues that rules that prioritize driver safety and ignore pedestrian infrastructure have led to a sharp increase in fatalities on U.S. roads.

The Pandemic Revealed Public Space as 'Essential Infrastructure'
COVID-19 restrictions have highlighted the importance of abundant, multi-use open spaces accessible to all.

The Slow Streets Reckoning
Slow streets programs provided a quick short-term solution and paved the way for some permanent street closures and realignments. Now, these programs are getting a second look as community groups react to the changes.

How Oakland Is Fixing its Pandemic Planning Equity Problem
The Oakland Slow Streets program, one of the most controversial developments of the early pandemic, has evolved to become the Essential Places initiative, thanks to new planning practices and a commitment to equity in Oakland, California.

It's Time To Reconsider How Speed Limits Are Set
Speed limits are currently determined by a calculation that considers only the status quo of vehicular velocity. Standard practices for speed limit setting and legislators should prioritize the safety of community members, according to this article.

Pandemic Planning Must Reconcile With the Inequities of the Past
The ongoing debate about the role of marginalized communities in the emergency planning programs of the pandemic has now been detailed on the pages of the New York Times.

Slow Streets Are Coming to D.C.
Seven streets in Washington, D.C. will have speed limit reduced to 15 miles per hour following a District-wide 20 miles per hour local road speed limit set at the end of May.
Pagination
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
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HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research