Join Curbed for an online conversation on designing safer streets

When SXSW was canceled in response to the coronavirus outbreak, so was Curbed’s panel on how cities can design safer streets. Now we’re making the panel virtual—and anyone can join the conversation on Friday, March 13.

Streets in the U.S. are getting safer—but only if you’re in a car. The number of people killed while walking and biking continues to climb. Pedestrian deaths recently hit a 30-year high. And the federal government recently refused to sign a global agreement with 140 countries to end road deaths by 2050.

But transportation leaders are making progress locally. Nearly 50 cities across the country are using a proven data-driven initiative to track and eliminate traffic fatalities. And cities are deploying large-scale, quick-build infrastructural changes to streets that creates systemic, citywide protection for a city’s most vulnerable residents as they get around town.

Moderated by Alissa Walker, Curbed’s urbanism editor (that’s me!), the webinar will include short presentations from these notable advocates and policymakers, followed by a discussion and Q&A:

• Los Angeles Department of Transportation general manager Seleta Reynolds, who is overseeing the build out of a two-way bike network in LA’s downtown, pioneering the concept of play streets, and experimenting with pop-up bike lanes at events.
• Corinne Kisner, executive director of National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), which is working with five cities to accelerate the construction of high-quality transportation projects that get more people walking and biking.
• Co-founder of Families for Safe Streets Amy Cohen, who created an organization in partnership with Transportation Alternatives that confronts the epidemic of traffic violence through advocacy and support for those who have lost loved ones.

In the one-hour session, we’ll talk about how cities are collecting and sharing data on traffic deaths, what infrastructural elements are most impactful for saving lives, and how leaders can implement change quickly to avoid political gridlock and NIMBYism. If you have any particular questions you want the webinar to address, feel free to share them with me (Alissa) on Twitter.

How to join? On Friday, March 13 at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT head to this Zoom link—no RSVP or registration required. Here’s a Google Calendar link, too. We will record the session and caption it so we can share it after the event.