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A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
The city of Orlando says it will ramp up efforts to improve walkability after receiving a Walk Score of 41 out of 100, reports Sabrina Maggiore for Yahoo News. According to the city’s 2023 Growth Management Plan Indicators Report, only 2.7 percent of Orlando residents walk to work.
Additionally, accessibility is an issue: “Some in wheelchairs say getting around the city can be especially challenging: they point to missing sidewalk ramps at pedestrian crossings, incomplete sidewalks, and areas where sidewalks are altogether non-existent.”
The report also notes that the city did not meet its 2023 goal of building 25 miles of new sidewalks or reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
The city released a statement touting its current and future efforts to build out its sidewalk network and make its roads safer. According to the statement, “Quick-Build projects, such as crosswalks, bike lanes and parklets, are all part of Orlando’s Vision Zero efforts to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries within the city by 2040.”
FULL STORY: Orlando says improvements are coming after city scores 41 out of 100 for walkability
Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects
The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.
Connecticut Launches Complete Streets Standards
The new policy calls for sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks on state roads and state-funded road projects.
How Cities are Spending Safe Streets Funds
New federal grant programs are injecting millions of dollars into road safety projects in an effort to stem the alarming growth of traffic deaths on U.S. roads.
New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.
New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.
Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.
Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.
Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?
New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
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