State of Main: Fall 2016
Welcome to the inaugural edition of State of Main, the annual publication of Main Street America featuring thought leadership from across the network.
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“The safety of a street works best… most casually, and with least frequent taint of hostility… precisely when people are using and most enjoying the streets voluntarily.”
The bias towards high-speed mobility, traffic efficiency, and street space for cars has made many of our streets unsafe for pedestrians and bicyclists, which can pressure more people into using cars in an effort to protect their safety. This vicious cycle further perpetuates both traffic congestion and the likelihood of pedestrian and motorist deaths.
Safety concerns resulting from the perceived risk of crime is another factor that makes individuals less likely to walk and more likely to retreat to car use. The atmosphere of our streetscapes and the practical design of streets can impact both the incidences of crime and the extent to which people fear the possibility of crime. Therefore, in terms of safety from both traffic and crime on Main Street, transportation and streets do matter.
Unsafe conditions of car-oriented streets include:
Benefits of people-oriented streets include:
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