University of Delaware
02/24/2026 | Press release | Archived content
From Living Lab to safer streets
From Living Lab to safer streets
Article by Sophonie Milord Photos courtesy of the Institute for Public Administration February 24, 2026
UD's Living Lab Research Group leads pop-up demonstrations in Wilmington and Middletown that lead to pedestrian safety improvements
In the heart of downtown Middletown, tucked between the town library and an elementary school, East Cochran Street should have been one of the community's safest streets. Instead, speeding cars quickly took over.
But thanks to a partnership between the University of Delaware's Living Lab Research Group and the Middletown Town Council, the town was able to drastically improve pedestrian safety - reducing average speeds from 25 miles per hour to 17.
Funded by DelDOT, Living Lab uses temporary pop-up demonstrations to help Delaware communities test pedestrian safety improvements, placemaking initiatives, and built-environment changes before committing to permanent installation. The program brings together local governments, community-based organizations, schools and other partners to collaborate with stakeholders throughout the planning, execution and evaluation process.
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