Enhancing Pedestrian Safety with Tactical Urbanism

Abstract

The number of pedestrian fatalities resulting from vehicle-pedestrian collisions in Tucson, Arizona, has increased between 2018 and 2022 according to the City of Tucson Police Department. The speed of a vehicle during a pedestrian-vehicle collision, or the impact speed, is a main factor in the probability of severe pedestrian injury or fatality. Tactical urbanism (TU) is a low-cost, small-scale, human-focused, temporary strategy used to address pedestrian safety and mobility issues. To determine the effectiveness of a TU project on South 6th Avenue in downtown Tucson, a quasi-experimental research design was used wherein vehicle speeds were recorded before and after the TU installation on the experimental street (6th Ave) and a selected control street (S 4th Ave). Results from a City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility intercept-survey is also analyzed in this study to gain a better understanding of how perceptions of safety and mobility vary among different road user and demographic groups on the 6th Ave block. Analysis of vehicle speeds before and after the TU installation on 6th Ave show a decrease in average vehicle speed, which lowers the probability of pedestrian fatality along the block. The importance of public engagement and participation in the effectiveness of TU design is also emphasized through a literature review and the intercept survey results.