10 Ideas Towns and Cities Use to Make Streets Safe

Some are cool, inexpensive; all are smart.

1. Reduce speed limits
   Greenburgh, NY lowers speed limit to 25mph, just like NYC.
2. “Road Diet”: Turn four lane road into two lanes
       Jacksonville, FL reduces speed by making Kings Road two lanes, plus bike lanes.
3. Time traffic lights and flashing signals give pedestrians a head start in crossing intersections
   Safe Kids/FedEx Memphis, TN plan gives walkers extra 3-6 seconds; can reduce ped crashes by 50%.
4. Make ped and bike safety mandatory in road building or improvement planning
   Myrtle Beach Mayor tells planners to go back to drawing board, include safety in plans.
5. Plant trees today, because tomorrow they can slow down drivers
   Four UK villages sees traffic slow down on tree-lined streets.
6. Hold police undercover actions to stop red light runners and "jaywalking" pedestrians
   Teaneck, NJ police uses plain clothes cops to encourage responsible driving.
7. Build median strips in the middle of busy streets
   St. Petersburg, FL’s gives pedestrians a mid-street refuge for tourists at “Sunken Gardens.”
8. Traffic “tickets” with benefits issued to pedestrians and drivers obeying the law
   In Seattle’s Vision Zero, police captain issues good conduct tickets with $10 gift cards.
9. Thank your kid’s school crossing guards for doing their important job
   Vacaville, CA newspaper editorial recognizes them for the work they do; we all should.
10. Check it out: Is there a “safe routes” program at your kids' school
    Providence, RI uses walking school buses for safety and to reduce absenteeism.

Have an idea for a smart policy or law that could make our streets safer for kids on foot? Tweet us at @SKWAdvocate

City Resources for Pedestrian Safety Smart Solutions

• National Center for Safe Routes to School
• Safe Routes to School National Partnership
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets
• DoT Complete Streets
• Smart Growth America’s Complete Streets
• National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
• Vision Zero
• Streetsblog USA
• Transportation Alternatives
• EMBARQ at World Resources Institute
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• Alliance for Biking and Walking
• American Walks
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
• Transportation Research Board