Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety Program in a Major City

This paper documents a series of activities undertaken in the City of Detroit, Michigan aimed at improving pedestrian safety following Detroit’s designation as a Pedestrian Safety Focus City by the Federal Highway Administration in the year 2004. These activities included the creation of a Pedestrian Safety Action Team, development of a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, and the implementation of a series of education, enforcement, and engineering countermeasures programs aimed at reducing the frequency of pedestrian crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The interventions included the development of new pavement marking guidelines for pedestrian crosswalks, phased installation of countdown pedestrian signals and other related infrastructure, implementation of a pedestrian training curriculum for children in grades K-8, and targeted implementation of enforcement programs aimed at reducing pedestrian traffic violations. During the intervention period, pedestrian crashes and injuries in the City of Detroit were reduced at a slightly higher rate than other (non-pedestrian involved) crashes. Targeted crashes specific to countermeasure program focus areas were also reduced. The lessons learned in Detroit provide a template for use by other communities.