New Report Highlights the Critical Role of Landscape Architects in Creating Safer Streets

Dangerous by Design 2026 highlights how safer street design and landscape architecture can reduce pedestrian deaths and create more equitable communities.

A new edition of Dangerous by Design 2026 from Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition, of which ASLA is a founding member, reinforces what landscape architects have long understood: the design of our streets and public spaces has a direct impact on public safety. The report finds that while pedestrian fatalities have declined slightly over the past two years, America's roadways remain dangerously designed for people walking, with 7,080 pedestrian deaths recorded in 2024.

The report argues that roadway safety is fundamentally a design issue. Streets that prioritize high vehicle speeds through wide lanes, long crossing distances, and limited pedestrian infrastructure continue to produce preventable tragedies. Instead, it calls for transportation agencies to implement proven design strategies that calm traffic, improve visibility, shorten crossings, and create safer environments for everyone using the street.

These recommendations align closely with the work of landscape architects. Every day, landscape architects help communities reimagine streets as public spaces that safely accommodate people of all ages and abilities. Through Complete Streets, context-sensitive roadway design, green infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly corridors, and multimodal transportation networks, landscape architects create places that improve safety while supporting community health, environmental resilience, and economic vitality.

The report also notes that 57% of pedestrian fatalities occur on state-owned roads, underscoring the importance of state transportation policies and investments in safer street design. For ASLA members, this presents an opportunity to continue advocating for policies and funding that prioritize Complete Streets and incorporate design solutions that protect all roadway users.

Beyond documenting the problem, Dangerous by Design demonstrates that better outcomes are possible. The report highlights proven design interventions that reduce vehicle speeds and improve pedestrian safety, while pointing to countries that have dramatically lowered traffic fatalities through sustained investments in safer transportation infrastructure.

For ASLA, the findings reinforce the essential role landscape architects play in shaping transportation systems that are safe, equitable, and resilient. As communities invest in rebuilding streets, downtowns, and neighborhood corridors, landscape architects bring the interdisciplinary expertise needed to transform roads designed primarily for vehicles into places that safely serve everyone.

View the full Dangerous By Design 2026 report HERE

View Smart Growth America's Dangerous By Design 2026 site HERE