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Why Pedestrian-Friendly Street Design Is Not Negligent, Michael E. Lewyn
Why Pedestrian-Friendly Street Design Is Not Negligent, Michael E. Lewyn
Michael E Lewyn
American streets are typically designed for fast automobile traffic. As a result, those streets are often dangerous for pedestrians.
In part, the anti-pedestrian design of American streets is a result of transportation planners' perceptions of American tort law. In negligent street design cases, courts and juries sometimes rely upon guidelines set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), a national association of government transportation officials. Because AASHTO's street-design rules have historically favored wide streets built to accommodate high-speed traffic, planners sometimes assume that in order to avoid liability, they must do the same.
The purpose of …