Intersection daylighting
Intersection daylighting, or simply daylighting, is an urban design strategy to enhance safety at intersections by improving visibility.[1][2][3][4][5] Daylighting reduces collisions by removing obstructions at intersections—including parked cars—that prevent drivers from seeing other cars, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other road users.[6]
About 40-60% of pedestrian and cyclist injuries occur at intersections.[7][8]
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) recommends daylighting by preventing cars from parking within 20–25 feet (6.1–7.6 m) of an intersection.[9] Some jurisdictions, such as New York state (excluding New York City),[10] Pennsylvania,[11] and California[12] disallow parking 20–32 feet (6.1–9.8 m) near all intersections.
If parking is merely disallowed by law or signage, drivers may not always comply, so it is best to replace parking with curb extensions or other physical infrastructure that do not impede visibility. These can include,[a] but are not limited to:
- Physical impediments, including bollards, jersey barriers, traffic barriers, or granite blocks[6]
- Permeable and absorbent infrastructure, including planters, bioswales, or parkways[6]
- Public transport connections points, including bike share stations, bus shelters, or tram shelters[6]
- Social spaces, including benches, plazas, or café seating.[6][13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ↑ Some of these infrastructures can be paired together. For example, daylighting an intersection with a plaza will oftentimes also have bollards to protect pedestrians from potential car crashes.
Citations
[edit]- ↑ "Visibility/Sight Distance". National Association of City Transportation Officials. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ "NYC DOT Enhances Pedestrian Safety at More Than 300 Locations Leading Into the Heart of Its Construction Season". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ Ramsay, D. J. (5 January 2024). "Vision Zero: What is Intersection Daylighting?". City of Lancaster, PA. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ Kennedy Hardy. Guidance for Implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan, Volume 12: A Guide for Reducing Collisions at Signalized Intersections (PDF). Washington DC: National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board.
- ↑ Federal Highway Administration. Pedestrian Safer Journey, Safety Improvement Countermeasures: Remove/Restrict Parking. Washington, DC.: Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Daylighting 101: A Guide for Communities Seeking Safe Intersections". Transportation Alternatives. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Asgarzadeh, Morteza; Verma, Santosh; Mekary, Rania A.; Courtney, Theodore K.; Christiani, David C. (1 June 2017). "The role of intersection and street design on severity of bicycle-motor vehicle crashes". Injury Prevention. 23 (3): 179–185. doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042045. ISSN 1353-8047. PMC 5502254. PMID 27881469.
- ↑ "We Need to Make Intersections Safer for Pedestrians and Cyclists". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ "Visibility/Sight Distance". National Association of City Transportation Officials. 10 July 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ "2023 New York Laws :: VAT - Vehicle and Traffic :: Title 7 - Rules of the Road :: Article 32 - Stopping, Standing, and Parking :: 1202 - Stopping, Standing or Parking Prohibited in Specified Places". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Justia Law.
- ↑ Ramsay, D. J. (5 January 2024). "Vision Zero: What is Intersection Daylighting?". City of Lancaster, PA. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ Dahlstrom-Eckman, Azul; Severn, Carly (14 February 2025). "What to Know About 'Daylighting' Parking Laws in 2025 (and How to Avoid a Ticket)". KQED Inc. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ↑ NACTO Bike Share Siting Guide (PDF), National Association of City Transportation Officials