Author: Steve Davis

Far more people walking were struck and killed in 2021 than previously predicted

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Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) released final data for 2021 revealing that drivers of motor vehicles struck and killed 7,341 people while walking that year. This massive 12.4 percent increase over 2020 is both higher than predicted and illustrative of the urgent need for a better approach to gathering and collecting this data. We can’t say we care about a crisis that we are failing to measure well.

Complete Streets

Dangerous by Design 2022

While the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic upended many aspects of daily life, including how people get around, one terrible, long-term trend was unchanged: the alarming increase in people being struck and killed while walking.  The number of people struck and killed while walking reached yet another new high in 2020. More than 6,500 people were struck and killed … Continued

Shared Spaces and Health Equity: Lessons from a Pandemic

Activity-friendly streets, public spaces, and active transportation options became critical components of our daily lives during the COVID-19 crisis, providing avenues for physical activity, accessing essential needs and being outdoors safely. But vulnerability during and the burden of the pandemic was not spread evenly across our communities. This field scan explores how decision-makers did (or did not) account for existing inequities in their emergency responses and identifies common barriers and lessons for the future.

Complete Streets Transportation

Complete Streets + COVID-19

Across the country, communities and people have been adapting to life amidst COVID-19. The National Complete Streets Coalition is committed to advancing transportation systems that provide safe access for all users of all ages and abilities. We want to share and uplift strategies communities are using to respond to the unique circumstances brought on by … Continued

Complete Streets

Mammoth infrastructure bill is notable for its powerful precedents and significant shortcomings

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The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill awaiting the president’s signature is notable both for Congress’ most significant commitment yet to address climate change, and its general failure to do anything to fundamentally change the sources of the problem and reach the level of ambition required. This bipartisan infrastructure deal (the IIJA), approved by Congress on November … Continued

Advocacy Climate Change Complete Streets Transportation

Dec. 15: Commonwealth Communities

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This fall, we invite you to join Smart Growth America, LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors, and over a dozen smart growth experts from across the country for Commonwealth Communities: Smart Growth Strategies for our Emergent Future. COVID-19 has dramatically altered our communities and our sense of place. Before Massachusetts began to reopen, we spent months hunkered … Continued

Events

More highways, more driving, more emissions: Explaining “induced demand”

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Even if we hit the most ambitious targets for changing our cars and trucks over to electric vehicles, we will fail to meaningfully reduce emissions from transportation without confronting this simple fact: new roads always produce new driving. This costly feedback loop referred to as “induced demand” is the invisible force short-circuiting the neverending attempts to eliminate congestion by building or expanding roads.

Climate Change Transportation
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