A new report, Cities Safer by Design, from WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, offers guidance for designing safer streets and communities that can reduce traffic fatalities and improve people’s lives.
The report includes more than 30 specific urban design recommendations for urban planners and policymakers. It emphasizes two ways to improve traffic safety in cities. First, building and retrofitting urban environments to reduce the need for individual vehicle trips; and second, by reducing vehicle speeds in areas where cars, pedestrians, and cyclists mix.
The report focuses on improving infrastructure for pedestrians, bicycling, and mass transport. It includes examples from several cities including Tokyo, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, New York City, and Paris.
Recommendations include:
- Smaller block sizes
- Frequent street connections
- Narrower streets
- Traffic calming measures such as speed humps, chicanes, curb extensions, raised pedestrian crossings
- Arterials and intersections that reduce conflicts between road users by providing clear crossings, medians, and refuge islands
- Pedestrian facilities ranging from pedestrian-only areas to basic, consistent sidewalks
- Bicycling networks that feature protected bicycle lanes and special attention to design at intersections
- Safety improvements around mass transport stations and corridors.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 8, 2018
Powerhouse coalition builds energy positive buildings
The goal: build buildings that provide more power than they cost to build, run, and demolish.
Codes and Standards | May 7, 2018
Plan advances in Los Angeles for Climate Emergency Mobilization Department
Would oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the city.
Codes and Standards | May 3, 2018
Data collection, machine learning boost building efficiency
Sensors, software algorithms squeeze out waste.
Codes and Standards | May 2, 2018
Energy Department releases Updated EnergyPlus and OpenStudio building energy modeling tools
The tools can now accept input in epJSON format.
Codes and Standards | May 1, 2018
ASHRAE publishes new energy simulation-aided design standard
Requires building energy modeling during schematic design.
Codes and Standards | Apr 30, 2018
CALGreen projects pre-approved for streamlined LEED v4 requirements
Reduces need to run additional energy models.
Codes and Standards | Apr 26, 2018
New standard supports community resilience
ASTM International guidance supports cost-effective ways to withstand and recover from disasters.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2018
Lessons learned from decades of Superfund cleanups guide contaminated land reuse
Sites repurposed for residential, commercial use, and solar energy generation.
Codes and Standards | Apr 24, 2018
Vibrant downtown core the key for urban multifamily development
Nighttime activity makes the difference.
Codes and Standards | Apr 19, 2018
ILFI launches new Zero Carbon Certification
Offers greater flexibility around project fuel types and offsetting renewables.