Brighter streets, safer streets: Improving pedestrian safety after dark

Pedestrian deaths are on the rise, with 76 percent of fatalities occurring at night. We know that the dangerous design of our roadways emphasizes speed over safety. Reduced visibility at night also drastically increases risk. Improved lighting can help keep pedestrians safe, but if we want long-term solutions, we need to reevaluate the priorities deeply embedded in our transportation infrastructure.

Complete Streets Transportation

A strong Complete Streets policy prioritizes underinvested and underserved communities (element #2)

Building a complete and connected transportation network requires investing in places and people that have not received investment. The strongest Complete Streets policies will specifically prioritize underinvested and underserved communities based on the jurisdiction’s composition and objectives.

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A strong Complete Streets policy applies to all transportation projects, in every phase (element #3)

To which projects or streets should a Complete Streets policy apply? If the policy is a strong one, then it dictates a holistic approach to every transportation project, in every place, in every phase of work. This means the application of a policy will also look different based on context.

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A strong Complete Streets policy allows only clear exceptions (element #4)

As noted in policy element #3, Complete Streets policies are comprehensive and apply to all streets and in all phases of all projects, but there are certain circumstances where exceptions can—and should—be made. But those exceptions must be narrowly and clearly defined, as well as require public notice prior to approval by a high-level official.

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A strong Complete Streets policy requires coordination between jurisdictions, agencies, and departments (element #5)

Any number of agencies—city, county, metro region, or state—may be responsible for the streets and sidewalks, often with overlapping authority. This is why the strongest Complete Streets policies clearly define who is responsible, what level of coordination is required, and even when or how outside parties must comply.

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A strong Complete Streets policy requires proactive and supportive land-use planning (element #7)

Streets don’t exist in a vacuum. They are inextricably connected to the buildings, sidewalks, spaces, homes, businesses, and everything else around them that they serve. The strongest Complete Streets policies require the integration of land-use planning to best sync up with a community’s desires for using and living on their land today and in the future.

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A strong Complete Streets policy measures progress (element #8)

How do you know if your Complete Streets policy is working? You measure it. And then you share the results publicly. A strong Complete Streets policy requires tracking performance measures across a range of categories—including implementation and equity—and making someone responsible for doing it.

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A strong Complete Streets policy sets criteria for choosing projects that prioritizes Complete Streets projects (element #9)

Every local community, region, and state has a process by which they choose which transportation projects to fund and build. A strong Complete Streets policy changes that process by adding new or updated criteria that give extra weight to projects that advance Complete Streets and improve the network.

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