Complete Streets Should Matter to Everyone

MATTHEW TRUSHINSKI, SMART CITIES VIA MIOVISION BLOG (JUL 15, 2019)

Did you know that the past two years have been the deadliest for pedestrians killed by drivers since 1990, and that seniors, people of color, and those in low-income communities are at higher risk?* Every citizen, no matter their mode of transportation or socioeconomic status, should feel safe while traveling in and around their city. But, for too long, we’ve prioritized driver efficiency over citizen safety.* It’s time we rethink our approach to urban planning.

A group of leaders in the U.S. House and Senate has introduced a new federal bill to make streets safer in their country. The National Complete Streets Coalition is urging Senators and representatives to co-sponsor the Complete Streets Act of 2019, and we at Miovision wholeheartedly stand behind this effort.

The realization of a complete streets strategy can have a tremendous impact on citizen well being: in fact it’s one of six key impacts we believe make up a smart city. That’s why we promote the implementation of solutions that can solve today’s problems, while ultimately translating into positive overall impacts for cities – including complete streets.

We work with cities and agencies in the U.S. who are committed to evolving their urban planning initiatives to be inclusive of all modes of transportation – not just vehicles. One way we can help them achieve their goals is through the collection of accurate traffic data to help develop inclusive, multimodal master transportation plans. Miovision technology provides access to the insights needed to increase safety, improve mobility, and reduce congestion on city roadways.

Smart Growth America has released a comprehensive report, including statistics around the number of fatalities and a listing of the most dangerous states and metro areas, to provide more context around this growing issue. They are calling on Congress, State DOTs and MPOs, and communities that have adopted a Complete Streets policy, to act now. We encourage anyone interested in learning more to read their report: Dangerous By Design 2019.

The City of Toronto recently completed a pilot project along King Street, one of its major arteries. They used high-resolution traffic data to validate their plan to give transit priority, improving safety and congestion along the corridor. As part of their overall complete streets strategy, the team in Toronto was able to prove the effectiveness of pilot using data from Miovision.

Source:

https://miovision.com/blog/complete-streets/

* Dangerous By Design 2019, Smart Growth America, Report