We’re Creating Streets That Work for Everyone
Every August, we recognize National Traffic Awareness Month, a time to highlight how thoughtful transportation engineering and planning create safer, more livable communities. In our special video series, members of the Gorove Slade team explore four critical aspects of modern transportation planning that put human safety at the center of design decisions.
Planning for Safety Before Ground is Broken
As Kayla Ord, Senior Associate and Director of Consulting Services, explains, every new development undergoes a comprehensive analysis to ensure it enhances community safety. Traffic Impact Studies examine how projects will affect traffic patterns, pedestrian movements, and overall mobility—serving as a health check for your neighborhood’s transportation network. This proactive approach means communities receive safer intersections, better lighting, and improved pedestrian infrastructure from day one.
The Life-Saving Impact of Speed Management
The relationship between vehicle speed and pedestrian safety is stark: pedestrians hit by vehicles at 42 mph face over a 50% fatality rate, but reducing speed by just 10 mph cuts that rate in half. Traffic calming encompasses strategic interventions like lane narrowing, enhanced crosswalks, and improved signage. Senior Project Manager Michael Young describes several measures that can reduce crash severity by 20-40%, proving that small infrastructure changes yield significant safety improvements.
You Are Traffic – The Power of Transportation Choice
Transportation Engineer Salem Zewdu’s perspective shift is powerful: “You’re not stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic.” When individuals choose active transportation—walking, biking, or rolling—they create community-wide benefits including reduced congestion, decreased parking demand, and more efficient infrastructure use. Even choosing active transportation for one trip weekly contributes to a more accessible, sustainable transportation network that works better for everyone.
25 Years of Transportation Evolution
The transportation industry has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past quarter-century. Where engineers like Vice President and Senior Principal Dan VanPelt once prioritized moving cars efficiently, today’s approach begins with a crucial question: What does safety look like from a human perspective? This shift toward human-scale design recognizes that great streets must work for all users—whether they’re driving, walking, biking, or using mobility devices.
Building Tomorrow’s Communities Today
These perspectives—proactive analysis, speed management, transportation choice, and human-centered design—work together to create comprehensive safety solutions. At Gorove Slade, every project starts with understanding local needs and designing infrastructure that prioritizes safety and enhances quality of life.
National Traffic Awareness Month may have come to an end, but we challenge you to continue considering how your transportation choices can transform neighborhoods and strengthen communities for generations to come.
