Streets and crosswalks

Real world More than roads

Streets carry cars and trucks, but also people walking, cycling, pushing strollers and using wheelchairs. Under the surface they carry water, sewers, power and internet. Streets are also places to meet, shop and play.

Road traffic crashes kill over a million people around the world each year, according to the World Health Organization, and are a leading cause of death for children and young people.

Real world Designing safer streets

• Clearly marked crossings, with signals where traffic is heavy.
• Curb extensions that shorten the distance to cross.
• Lower speed limits near schools and homes: a person hit at lower speed is much more likely to survive.
• Curb ramps and tactile paving so wheelchair users and blind people can cross.
• Separate lanes for bikes and buses.
• Street trees, lighting and benches.

Real world Vision Zero and the "curb-cut effect"

In 1997 Sweden adopted Vision Zero, a policy that says no one should be killed or seriously injured on the roads, and that streets should be designed to forgive human mistakes. Many cities have since copied it.

Curb ramps were first pushed for by disability campaigners, and in the United States the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 made them required in new work. They turned out to help almost everyone: people with strollers, suitcases, bikes and trolleys. This is sometimes called the "curb-cut effect".

Think about it

1. Is the walk to your school safe? What would make it safer?
2. Who should streets be designed for first: people walking, cycling, riding buses or driving?
3. Can you think of other designs that help one group but end up helping everyone?

Key words

Curb ramp

A slope from sidewalk to road (also called a curb cut).

Vision Zero

A goal of no deaths or serious injuries on the roads.

Tactile paving

Bumpy paving that blind people can feel.