What will it take to make safe streets? / Ideas to redesign cities

Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise.

Every day, people are risking their lives by simply walking out of their homes and onto streets and thoroughfares. A recent report from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association indicated 90 pedestrians were killed on Pennsylvania streets and roadways during the first six months of 2018 compared to 64 the year before.

Why the increase? And can anything be done to make our roads safer for pedestrians, and for vehicular traffic?

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss Harrisburg’s Vision Zero strategy to eliminate traffic collisions are Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and Wayne Martin, Harrisburg City Engineer.

Wayne Martin and Mayor Eric Papenfuse

Also, most U.S. cities were built to accommodate automobile traffic, so it is not surprising that few cities are considered pedestrian friendly. If there is no way to get somewhere by walking or mass transit, then residents will rely on automobiles.

One author says that to build cities of the future, we must get out of our cars. To make this work, entire communities must be re-imagined.

Joining Smart Talk to discuss how to build and redesign cities of the future is Senior Environment Editor for National Geographic Robert Kunzig. His article “Rethinking Cities” appears in National Geographic’s April 2019 special edition, single-topic issue on the Future of Cities. The magazine is titled “CITIES: Ideas For a Brighter Future,” and is available at natgeo.com/cities.