Traffic Safety

Primary Image
Main Street

Federal Highway Administration Moving Toward Complete Streets

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a report to Congress this week that takes initial steps toward making complete streets the default model for funding and designing federally controlled roads.

March 3, 2022 - Federal Highway Administration

Construction work to replace the bridge deck carrying eastbound I-196 over Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids.

Safety or Freight: What's the Top Priority for U.S. 131 Redesign Project in Grand Rapids?

Urban designers are playing the advocate in a Michigan Department of Transportation study that is considering ways to reconfigure U.S. Highway 131 where it curves through Downtown Grand Rapids.

March 2, 2022 - MiBiz

 Building in Washington Avenue Historic District

Why a Complete Streets Makeover Went Awry in Philadelphia

The city pulled the plug on a proposed street redesign after community groups criticized the public engagement process for not listening to all local voices.

February 28, 2022 - Bloomberg CityLab

Traffic Lights

How 'Liberty Politics' Cripples Road Safety Projects

Some states and cities are citing personal liberty and constitutional rights to oppose automated traffic enforcement and other road safety measures.

February 25, 2022 - The Deseret News

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

Bike Helmets No Longer Required in Seattle After Research Reveals Enforcement Disparities

The data on bike helmets have changed. Laws are starting to change too.

February 22, 2022 - The Seattle Times

A yellow sign street sign showing the symbol for a speed bump: a simple black bump.

Speed Cushion Pilot Project Drastically Reduces Vehicle Speeds in Cincinnati

With Vision Zero faltering around the country, maybe it's time to get back to the fundamentals of street design. An example from Cincinnati shows how street improvements can achieve significant improvements with relatively little expense.

February 15, 2022 - CityBeat

Downtown Milwaukee

Milwaukee Traffic Safety Projects To Receive $8.5 Million in TIF Funds

The city hopes to combat a growing reckless driving 'crisis' with traffic calming, bike lanes, and other projects aimed at improving roadway safety.

February 14, 2022 - Urban Milwaukee

Large pickup trucks are parked in neat rows extending into the fuzzy background of the image.

Unlike Smaller Cars, 'Megacars' Drove More in 2020

The increase in miles driven by light trucks and other 'megacars' could have contributed to the rise in traffic deaths, despite an overall reduction in VMT.

February 11, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Pedestrians

National Roadway Safety Program Centers Vision Zero at the Federal Level

A new federal program will direct resources to reducing traffic deaths, improving roadway safety, and encouraging a shift to sustainable transportation modes.

February 1, 2022 - The New York Times

Florida Pedestrians

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.

January 25, 2022 - NextCity

Tesla

Tesla's 'Aggressive' Autonomous Mode Facilitates Lawbreaking

Some Tesla autonomous modes direct the vehicle to engage in dangerous and illegal behaviors, prompting calls for increased regulation of autonomous vehicle tech.

January 19, 2022 - Streetsblog USA

Bus Stop and Bike Lane

Traffic Camera Revenues to Fund Capacity-Building Programs in Washington State

Revenue from Washington's traffic enforcement cameras will go in part toward efforts to assist small communities in applying for grants and accessing funding opportunities.

January 18, 2022 - The Urbanist

SR-99 on-ramp in Seattle

Seattle's Vision Zero Program Emphasizes Safe Systems Over Enforcement

Looking for traffic safety improvements while responding to 2020's Black Lives Matter protests, Seattle has spent much of the past two years implementing a Safe System approach to move closer to its Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities.

January 12, 2022 - The Urbanist

New "Point to Point" speed cameras on the Hume Highway, Victoria, Australia. Point to Point records your average speed over a set distance.

Study: Speed Cameras Save Lives

Data from Chicago reaffirms the efficacy of speed cameras at reducing traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

January 12, 2022 - Streetsblog Chicago

Milwaukee

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.

January 3, 2022 - Urban Milwaukee

Joe Biden sits in a chair holding a microphone in front of a screen that reads Wall Street Journal and Infrastructure

Year in Review: The Stories That Defined Urban Planning in 2021

Part two (of two) of Planetizen's review of 2021 collects the biggest stories and storylines of the year from the wide world of planning.

December 30, 2021 - James Brasuell

Multiple bridges busy with cars cross Lady Bird Lake outside downtown Austin, Texas.

Vision Zero Projects Reduce Carnage in Select Corners of Austin

Vision Zero safety improvements at High Injury Roadways and implementation and Leading Pedestrian Intervals are reducing crashes in Austin. The city has a long way to go to achieve Vision Zero.

December 29, 2021 - Fox 7 Austin

The interior of a Tesla, with a large video screen. The person behind the wheel is touching the screen.

Tesla Reverses on Video Games for Drivers

Tesla's rollout of video games that can be played by drivers on the center consoles of the automakers cars has quickly turned into a recall.

December 28, 2021 - Associated Press via The Guardian

COVID-19 City

What Can Lessons From Traffic Safety Teach About the Covid Response?

Finger waggings aren't effective for pedestrian safety—so why should they work for public health? A "safe system" approach, created for traffic safety in Sweden, offers a model for improved pandemic public health outcomes, according to this opinion.

December 28, 2021 - Angie Schmitt

The interior of a Tesla, with a large video screen. The person behind the wheel is touching the screen.

Video Games on Tesla Screens? Not So Fast, Say Safety Regulators

The Passenger Play video feature available in most Tesla cars has caught the attention of regulators at the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

December 24, 2021 - The New York Times

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.