The New York Police Department has only recently started using the term “collision” instead of “accident.” The new terminology is part of an increased emphasis on investigating crashes that are not life-threatening. New York’s Traffic Commissioner has been praised for her emphasis on improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, however advocates are not as pleased with a crackdown on traffic infractions by bicyclists.
safety
Rural routes more dangerous than those in urban areas
Rural areas, although home to less than 20 percent of the nation’s population, account for 55 percent of traffic fatalities, and largely rural states have the deadliest roadways. Despite the greater risk, according to a 2010 survey conducted by the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota, drivers feel safer and more relaxed on these rural routes than on urban freeways
A Distance-Based Method to Estimate Annual Pedestrian and Bicyclist Exposure in an Urban Environment (FHWA, 2013)
This report describes a methodology for measuring pedestrian and bicyclist exposure based on counts of pedestrian and bicyclist volumes as well as the distances that pedestrians and bicyclists travel on facilities shared with motor vehicles. The distances that pedestrians and bicyclists travel on these facilities represent a measure of their exposure to the risk of having a crash with a motor vehicle.
Call for U.S. DOT to issue own standards causes a stir
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that U.S. DOT will be issuing its own standards for roadway design to meet the needs of all users, but especially bicyclists and pedestrians. Reactions indicated that some felt LaHood was showing impatience with a lack of suitable standards by AASHTO to meet the needs of non-motorized users.
Red light cameras still popular with municipalities, but not drivers
Almost half the states allow red light cameras, and municipalities are increasingly installing them at intersections as tools to increase public safety. Despite public pushback concerning the cameras, and some hiccups with implementation, this technology should stay in place where it is established and be installed at problem intersections whenever possible. The clear improvements in safety and traffic operations provide a benefit to the public and the best argument for accepting the utility of red light cameras.
Devil’s Slide dangers soon to be bypassed by tunnels
There hasn’t been a new highway tunnel built in California in 50 years, but new tunnels that will provide an alternative to a slide-prone stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway will be very impressive when they open.
One-way or two-way streets more efficient? It depends on what you measure
The debate over one-way versus two-way streets has been ongoing for more than half a century in American cities. Counter to prevailing engineering wisdom, a new study finds two-way streets may be more efficient, if one is measuring getting people to their destinations.
New York City’s subway train operators taking unilateral action to prevent fatalities at stations
Following two widely publicized incidents of waiting passengers being pushed into the path of oncoming subway trains, the Transit Workers Union has directed its subway train operators to slow trains to 10 mph when entering station areas to enable them to stop if riders are on the tracks. This and other solutions to accidental and intentional falls onto tracks are being examined in New York and cities around the world.
Measuring the Street: New Metrics for 21st Century Streets (New York City DOT, 2012)
This report discusses key approaches to street design projects, and how results can be measured against goals for safety, serving all users and creating great public spaces while also maintaining the flow of traffic.
Increasing bicycle mode share leads to growing need for bicycle-specific traffic signals
As the popularity of transportation bicycling continues to grow, traffic engineers, planners, and lawmakers are recognizing the need to incorporate bicycle-specific infrastructure into intersection designs. Bicycle-specific signals are being used in 16 U.S. cities, and the signals are being included in traffic control manuals. NACTO has excellent guidance for how and where to install these signals.