Continue to update roadway designs to reduce speeding and crashes

To significantly reduce the number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities, CMAP and partners should prioritize areas that would benefit most from improved infrastructure that includes design interventions and reduced speed limits. Such areas may have high crash rates, concentrated destinations, many people walking or biking, and lower rates of vehicle ownership. Some road designs, including roundabouts, access management strategies, and grade separations can reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians and reduce the delay caused by turning vehicles. A few examples of these designs have been constructed in the CMAP region, but their implementation could be broadened, while still assuring that the designs are appropriate for a given site.

Pedestrian countdown signals, better road markings, protected left turn phases, designs that reduce left turn speeds, traffic calming treatments, and accessible pedestrian signals will all improve the safety of pedestrians at intersections. Engineering can also make driving safer for older drivers, who are anticipated to be on the roads in larger numbers by 2050. Where appropriate, roadway redesigns or “right-sizing” that decrease vehicle speeds and allocate space to pedestrians and bicyclists can maintain appropriate levels of vehicular throughput while making roads safer for all users. CMAP preliminarily identified road segments in the region that could be candidates for right-sizing. This is a planning-level analysis and more thorough engineering study would be needed before implementation.