What comes first in safer streets?

South Park Studies: Safety in the Public Realm

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In Seattle, a system of neighborhood greenways prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists with slower vehicular speeds, safer crossings at busy streets, parklets, and wayfinding. Going forward, the City has decided to take an unique approach and create this pedestrian infrastructure without first meeting minimum pedestrian counts. Streetsblog has the details:

Seattle Tosses Out Rulebook to Protect Pedestrians
Streetsblog, February 5, 2019

Seattle will begin adding safe crosswalks without first assessing if high numbers of pedestrians are going to use them — a direct contradiction of the nation’s road design Bible.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices states that before communities can add a signalized crosswalk — a crosswalk with a traffic light — there must be at least 93 pedestrians that cross at the location every hour. If pedestrian traffic is insufficient, the manual will also allow a signalized crosswalk only if five pedestrians were struck by drivers (think about that) at that location within a year.

In recent years, some progressive transportation engineers have challenged this rule, noting it subordinates pedestrian safety to the speedy flow of car traffic. (Indeed, as transportation planners sometimes joke, you can’t determine the need for a bridge by measuring how many people are swimming across the river.)

In Seattle, the city’s lead engineer, Dongho Chang, announced that the city was “piloting a new approach” to crossings on its greenway system. The city will add the crosswalk and the signal and then count how many pedestrians cross and see if it reaches the threshold that the MUTCD recommends.

Read the full article here.

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Los Angeles Walks is a pedestrian advocacy organization focused on promoting walking and pedestrian infrastructure in Los Angeles, educating Angelenos and policymakers on the rights and needs of pedestrians of all abilities, and fostering the development of safe and vibrant environments for all pedestrians. Click here to sign up for their updates, attend an event, or volunteer to lead a walk.

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South Park Studies is a new initiative designed to bring you news and resources on the topics we hear questions about the most — homelessness, daycare and school availability, transportation, and more. Each topic will consist of a multi-week series of article recommendations, volunteer opportunities, and more. Catch up on our first series, exploring homelessness, by clicking here. Learn more about South Park by visiting southpark.la.