When the spotlight is on homicides, the standard acceptable comment is something along the lines of “one death is too many.” Prayer vigils follow almost every one. There are plenty of ideas about how to reduce violence, not all schemes being equally effective. Programs designed to keep youth on the right track are funded. There is a long way to go in terms of keeping firearms from trickling down to the streets and a long way to go when it comes to teaching emotional intelligence and eradicating a culture of toxic masculinity.
When the spotlight is on the opioid crisis — and there finally is a spotlight on it — there is a seriousness with which the problem is addressed. Those who have been too quick to prescribe egregious amounts of painkillers have begun to feel the consequences of those decisions. Cities have begun suing pharmaceutical companies. Naloxone has become more available, potentially giving a second chance to those who overdose. There is a push for more treatment options. Again, there is a long way to go with this, but people seem to get that this is a problem that needs resolution.
So, why is it that when the issue is road violence — crashes that maim and kill — the response seems to be a communal shrug? Perhaps it is a defense mechanism to intentionally ignore risks built into the most dangerous activity we do each day. Whatever we are doing, it is not working, and we have examples of cities and countries that have much lower rates of road fatalities. First, let us explore how bad the numbers are in Hartford for road fatalities, and compare that to the other things we worry about.
Through April 14, 2018, there were nine fatal accidental — as in, not suicides — drug overdoses in Hartford; there were 24 in the same period in 2017. There have been eight homicides (three gun, two knife) in this period of 2018. Through April 24, 2018, there have been eleven fatalities connected to motor vehicle crashes and collisions. Three of those have occurred in April. There was the collision of an SUV with a motor scooter on April 7, resulting in the death of the more vulnerable user, who was a man in his 50s. On April 19, a pedestrian — male in his 50s — was killed after being struck by a car at Wyllys and Groton Streets. A driver — male in his 50s — died when his car crashed into a tree on Blue Hills Avenue on April 23.
Where are the prayer vigils? Where is the outrage?
Hartford has a Complete Streets Committee (I’m on it) and there is a bike plan in the works that would make our roadways incrementally less dangerous. We have LimeBike, a bike share program, coming in a few weeks. All these not-very-radical developments — a move toward safer roads and the beginnings of a bike share program — have taken much longer than necessary. Our systems favor bureaucracy. On the state and local levels — personal and professional — there is a cultural resistance to change. This “culture of no” is especially maddening when we are talking about making changes that are proven to prevent unnecessary deaths and crippling injuries. We sacrifice lives, and livelihoods, at the altar of the car-centric commuter convenience status quo and too often are told by engineers that they cannot do fixes seen in other cities, because they have not yet been accepted as “standard.” Clearly, the standards are not working. We need the community and political will to move faster to adopt proven street designs that work better for human safety for all road users, which have unsurprisingly been shown to be good for business. We deserve better than a trip to work or the grocery store that too often includes a near miss or close call, whether we are walking, biking, driving, or taking the bus.
In October 2017, a terrorist drove a truck down the Hudson River bike path, killing multiple cyclists and pedestrians. Within 48 hours of that incident, concrete barriers were installed at 57 crossings on the bike path to prevent large vehicles from entering it. The terrorist attack was not the first time a motor vehicle found its way onto the bike path, but it was the most destructive.
Initially, the barriers were installed haphazardly and were rightfully criticized for that. Days later, the worst of that problem was essentially fixed. Some transportation advocates are still not happy with the barriers, but the DOT is working on a permanent way to keep motor vehicles out of the Hudson River bike path that is perhaps less hated by cyclists fearing the currently narrowed path will feel like a “cattle chute” as the warmer weather brings more riders to the path.
This is an example of how political will — not money, not human resources, not even expertise — is what is needed for change to happen faster than a snail’s pace. We could sit around looking for perfect solutions and sending every last idea through tedious process, or we could simply start to do what needs to be done, being open to changing direction when our actions indicate mistakes or unintended consequences. Tactical urbanism and test changes are great ways to try out new road formats before turning them into concrete. We need more than stasis and excuses.
Just as with gun violence and the opioid epidemic, it’s right to feel overwhelmed, but not having a singular perfect solution should not send everyone spiraling into fatalism, where we throw up our hands and act as if our human problems cannot possibly be solved.
For starters, we can all get smarter about street design. While care and attention is going into the Bartholomew Avenue redesign, we did not see this take place when the Broad Street and Capitol Avenue intersection was actually widened in recent years; despite very few trucks using that intersection, the ability for trucks to make the turn to get back to I-84 has consistently been wielded as an excuse to not make the location safer for pedestrians. Over on Columbus Boulevard, we have seen some improvement from what it was, but the time has come to take that to the next level, both to the area around Front Street and for the stretch that becomes Wyllys Street. If there’s a concern about gridlock, take a look at how many of those vehicles are filled by only one person and begin to address that issue.
We have orphan bike lanes in Hartford — lanes that just end. An example of this is on Scarborough Street. I can pedal with a nice buffer for its length, and then I’m given Albany Avenue: no bike lanes. We need our bike lanes to form a connected network. Nobody would tolerate car lanes that simply stopped, leaving motorists a quarter- or half-mile away from their destinations. The changes needed do take time and money, but in the near future, narrowed travel lanes and painted bike lanes would be an acceptable first step. These should transition to protected, separated lanes where possible and sensible.
Some will defend inaction by claiming that cyclists break laws and weave around. One way to prevent the weaving is to remove obstacles. This means getting the DPW out to sweep streets more frequently. The loose gravel and sand that collects where cyclists are supposed to ride poses a hazard. The random car parts that get left behind after collisions are other things that do not need to be there. The potholes that might damage a car’s suspension can do much more serious damage to a person who hits one hard while cycling. Navigating around them is successful when there are not other obstacles to avoid at the same time.
Being predictable as a cyclist or pedestrian is important, but when there are vehicles parked on sidewalks and in bike lanes, a change of behavior has to happen. Scarborough Street, with your landscapers parked in the bike lane instead of the driveway, you’re on notice! Used car lots that overflow into the bike lanes because you have exceeded the number of vehicles you are permitted to have, also on notice!
Data shows that people are driving less. It’s time that we adapt to this. Does your business acknowledge customers arriving by bike, bus, or on foot? Are those entrance points safe? Practical? Do directions for those arriving in any way besides car even exist on your website?
While changing infrastructure, maintenance, and cultural norms, we need to look at enforcement. The Hartford Police Department has stepped it up in recent months, but this needs to be ongoing. Just as cyclists and pedestrians ought to be attentive, predictable, and law-abiding, so should motorists. Using red light and speed cameras would be one way to help send the message that dangerous choices have a penalty.
When we wrap it all up, experts in reducing road violence like to talk about the Four E’s – (1) Engineering/Design, (2) Education/Engagement, (3) Enforcement, and (4) Emergency Response. Right now, we are only top-notch in Emergency Response (crashed cars and picking up mangled bodies). Let’s get to work on the other three.
There are opportunities for people to make productive noise off of social media. The Hartford Complete Streets Committee is one way. Transport Hartford is another. Residents looking to highlight dangerous intersections, need for traffic calming, or a desired bike lane, can pinpoint the location and recommendation in this Complete Streets survey and attend an Open Studio Planning session on May 15th or 16th at reSET in the Parkville neighborhood.
Hartford was just given Silver status in the Walk Friendly Communities program and previously ranked bronze level as a Bicycle Friendly Community; those designations mean the city has shown a commitment to improving — not that it has already gotten as good as it can get.
The important thing is that we not sit on our hands, acting as if traffic deaths are unpreventable.
Getting There, Alive
When the spotlight is on homicides, the standard acceptable comment is something along the lines of “one death is too many.” Prayer vigils follow almost every one. There are plenty of ideas about how to reduce violence, not all schemes being equally effective. Programs designed to keep youth on the right track are funded. There is a long way to go in terms of keeping firearms from trickling down to the streets and a long way to go when it comes to teaching emotional intelligence and eradicating a culture of toxic masculinity.
When the spotlight is on the opioid crisis — and there finally is a spotlight on it — there is a seriousness with which the problem is addressed. Those who have been too quick to prescribe egregious amounts of painkillers have begun to feel the consequences of those decisions. Cities have begun suing pharmaceutical companies. Naloxone has become more available, potentially giving a second chance to those who overdose. There is a push for more treatment options. Again, there is a long way to go with this, but people seem to get that this is a problem that needs resolution.
So, why is it that when the issue is road violence — crashes that maim and kill — the response seems to be a communal shrug? Perhaps it is a defense mechanism to intentionally ignore risks built into the most dangerous activity we do each day. Whatever we are doing, it is not working, and we have examples of cities and countries that have much lower rates of road fatalities. First, let us explore how bad the numbers are in Hartford for road fatalities, and compare that to the other things we worry about.
Through April 14, 2018, there were nine fatal accidental — as in, not suicides — drug overdoses in Hartford; there were 24 in the same period in 2017. There have been eight homicides (three gun, two knife) in this period of 2018. Through April 24, 2018, there have been eleven fatalities connected to motor vehicle crashes and collisions. Three of those have occurred in April. There was the collision of an SUV with a motor scooter on April 7, resulting in the death of the more vulnerable user, who was a man in his 50s. On April 19, a pedestrian — male in his 50s — was killed after being struck by a car at Wyllys and Groton Streets. A driver — male in his 50s — died when his car crashed into a tree on Blue Hills Avenue on April 23.
Where are the prayer vigils? Where is the outrage?
Hartford has a Complete Streets Committee (I’m on it) and there is a bike plan in the works that would make our roadways incrementally less dangerous. We have LimeBike, a bike share program, coming in a few weeks. All these not-very-radical developments — a move toward safer roads and the beginnings of a bike share program — have taken much longer than necessary. Our systems favor bureaucracy. On the state and local levels — personal and professional — there is a cultural resistance to change. This “culture of no” is especially maddening when we are talking about making changes that are proven to prevent unnecessary deaths and crippling injuries. We sacrifice lives, and livelihoods, at the altar of the car-centric commuter convenience status quo and too often are told by engineers that they cannot do fixes seen in other cities, because they have not yet been accepted as “standard.” Clearly, the standards are not working. We need the community and political will to move faster to adopt proven street designs that work better for human safety for all road users, which have unsurprisingly been shown to be good for business. We deserve better than a trip to work or the grocery store that too often includes a near miss or close call, whether we are walking, biking, driving, or taking the bus.
In October 2017, a terrorist drove a truck down the Hudson River bike path, killing multiple cyclists and pedestrians. Within 48 hours of that incident, concrete barriers were installed at 57 crossings on the bike path to prevent large vehicles from entering it. The terrorist attack was not the first time a motor vehicle found its way onto the bike path, but it was the most destructive.
Initially, the barriers were installed haphazardly and were rightfully criticized for that. Days later, the worst of that problem was essentially fixed. Some transportation advocates are still not happy with the barriers, but the DOT is working on a permanent way to keep motor vehicles out of the Hudson River bike path that is perhaps less hated by cyclists fearing the currently narrowed path will feel like a “cattle chute” as the warmer weather brings more riders to the path.
This is an example of how political will — not money, not human resources, not even expertise — is what is needed for change to happen faster than a snail’s pace. We could sit around looking for perfect solutions and sending every last idea through tedious process, or we could simply start to do what needs to be done, being open to changing direction when our actions indicate mistakes or unintended consequences. Tactical urbanism and test changes are great ways to try out new road formats before turning them into concrete. We need more than stasis and excuses.
Just as with gun violence and the opioid epidemic, it’s right to feel overwhelmed, but not having a singular perfect solution should not send everyone spiraling into fatalism, where we throw up our hands and act as if our human problems cannot possibly be solved.
For starters, we can all get smarter about street design. While care and attention is going into the Bartholomew Avenue redesign, we did not see this take place when the Broad Street and Capitol Avenue intersection was actually widened in recent years; despite very few trucks using that intersection, the ability for trucks to make the turn to get back to I-84 has consistently been wielded as an excuse to not make the location safer for pedestrians. Over on Columbus Boulevard, we have seen some improvement from what it was, but the time has come to take that to the next level, both to the area around Front Street and for the stretch that becomes Wyllys Street. If there’s a concern about gridlock, take a look at how many of those vehicles are filled by only one person and begin to address that issue.
We have orphan bike lanes in Hartford — lanes that just end. An example of this is on Scarborough Street. I can pedal with a nice buffer for its length, and then I’m given Albany Avenue: no bike lanes. We need our bike lanes to form a connected network. Nobody would tolerate car lanes that simply stopped, leaving motorists a quarter- or half-mile away from their destinations. The changes needed do take time and money, but in the near future, narrowed travel lanes and painted bike lanes would be an acceptable first step. These should transition to protected, separated lanes where possible and sensible.
Some will defend inaction by claiming that cyclists break laws and weave around. One way to prevent the weaving is to remove obstacles. This means getting the DPW out to sweep streets more frequently. The loose gravel and sand that collects where cyclists are supposed to ride poses a hazard. The random car parts that get left behind after collisions are other things that do not need to be there. The potholes that might damage a car’s suspension can do much more serious damage to a person who hits one hard while cycling. Navigating around them is successful when there are not other obstacles to avoid at the same time.
Being predictable as a cyclist or pedestrian is important, but when there are vehicles parked on sidewalks and in bike lanes, a change of behavior has to happen. Scarborough Street, with your landscapers parked in the bike lane instead of the driveway, you’re on notice! Used car lots that overflow into the bike lanes because you have exceeded the number of vehicles you are permitted to have, also on notice!
Data shows that people are driving less. It’s time that we adapt to this. Does your business acknowledge customers arriving by bike, bus, or on foot? Are those entrance points safe? Practical? Do directions for those arriving in any way besides car even exist on your website?
While changing infrastructure, maintenance, and cultural norms, we need to look at enforcement. The Hartford Police Department has stepped it up in recent months, but this needs to be ongoing. Just as cyclists and pedestrians ought to be attentive, predictable, and law-abiding, so should motorists. Using red light and speed cameras would be one way to help send the message that dangerous choices have a penalty.
When we wrap it all up, experts in reducing road violence like to talk about the Four E’s – (1) Engineering/Design, (2) Education/Engagement, (3) Enforcement, and (4) Emergency Response. Right now, we are only top-notch in Emergency Response (crashed cars and picking up mangled bodies). Let’s get to work on the other three.
There are opportunities for people to make productive noise off of social media. The Hartford Complete Streets Committee is one way. Transport Hartford is another. Residents looking to highlight dangerous intersections, need for traffic calming, or a desired bike lane, can pinpoint the location and recommendation in this Complete Streets survey and attend an Open Studio Planning session on May 15th or 16th at reSET in the Parkville neighborhood.
Hartford was just given Silver status in the Walk Friendly Communities program and previously ranked bronze level as a Bicycle Friendly Community; those designations mean the city has shown a commitment to improving — not that it has already gotten as good as it can get.
The important thing is that we not sit on our hands, acting as if traffic deaths are unpreventable.
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