People walking are often blamed for crashes when roads are designed for driving

A pedestrian’s location at the time of a crash often determines who (whether driver and pedestrian) is found at fault, says a new study. Even with a lack of pedestrian infrastructure nearby, pedestrians who cross high-speed arterial roads with bus stops are more likely to be blamed. 

New Zealand and Australia can teach us how to keep pedestrians safe

Pedestrian traffic deaths in the U.S. are something of an outlier among high-income countries. While many other countries have decreased—or at least stabilized—the number of pedestrians killed annually, our numbers continue to climb. Responding to this crisis, the U.S. DOT recently adopted a Safe System approach. This represents an enormous shift away from a decades-long operating principle of evaluating the transportation system by its level of service for motor vehicles. FHWA dispatched a team to New Zealand and Australia, two countries that have had greater success incorporating this approach into the DNA of their transportation systems and operations, to learn from their experiences.

Study finds improving bike, pedestrian infrastructure cuts driving, CO2 emissions

In an attempt to meet CO2 reduction targets, both mandatory and self-administered, cities worldwide are attempting to overhaul their transport infrastructure to limit private vehicle use and encourage more active forms of travel (i.e., walking and biking). While the common assumption among planners is that greater rates walking and biking will lead to subsequent decreases in driving, there is in fact very limited evidence to suggest that this is the case. A new study from New Zealand, however, may shed light on the matter.

Wisconsin budget amendment threatens future of bike and pedestrian facilities

The recently passed Wisconsin state budget contains an amendment that removes the ability of local communities and the state DOT to use eminent domain for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. This provision, added anonymously at the last minute and passed by the legislature without discussion, will make it much more difficult to construct or even plan for paths and sidewalks that connect destinations and facilitate active transportation.

Return of the Barnes Dance

Cities across the U.S. are once again installing a formerly-common intersection treatment: the “Barnes Dance” or pedestrian scramble, which allows pedestrian movements in all directions simultaneously, including diagonally. A new installation in Washington, D.C., demonstrates both the advantages and limitations of this solution to facilitate pedestrian movement in dense urban areas.

FHWA publishes toolkit for bike-ped performance measures

FHWA has released its Guidebook for Developing Pedestrian and Bicycle Performance Measures. Establishing performance measures that go beyond delay, congestion, level of service, and safety for drivers—especially including good metrics for non-motorized modes—has been a difficult but important goal for many transportation agencies. This publication is a big step forward to help states, regions, and communities in both project selection and progress toward community goals.

Researchers suggest using Google Street View and Walk Score to conduct pedestrian safety studies

Pedestrian safety and the effects of environmental features are important considerations in cities everywhere. But studying pedestrians via street audits and volume counts can be time consuming and costly. Researchers at Columbia University suggest a way to overcome this challenge by using readily available information from Google Street View and Walk Score.

Researchers suggest using Google Street View and Walk Score to conduct pedestrian safety studies

Pedestrian safety and the effects of environmental features are important considerations in cities everywhere. But studying pedestrians via street audits and volume counts can be time consuming and costly. Researchers at Columbia University suggest a way to overcome this challenge by using readily available information from Google Street View and Walk Score.

Agencies must embrace new design standards to improve safety, according to federal report

The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report addressing the recent increase in deaths and injuries among pedestrians and bicycle users. The report outlined the causes, responses from transportation agencies, and remaining challenges to address the disparity in crash trends between car drivers and those using non-motorized transportation. The report also acknowledges historical road design practices as a major contributor to current safety trends.

Tennessee DOT to cover 95 percent of costs for local multimodal access projects

Tennessee DOT recently announced the creation of a $30 million Multimodal Access Fund to support local projects that improve pedestrian, bicycle, and transit access to state routes and transit hubs. A handful of states have implemented new mechanisms for funding multimodal projects in light of insufficient federal funds, but Tennessee’s dedication of existing revenues shows a unique commitment to providing transportation choices in the state.