Thoughts on transport & road safety & climate / photog / Transportation Researcher at U.C. Berkeley.
Berkeley, CA
Joined August 2011
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Last week, Census released 2021 data giving us our first look at the spatial distribution of the transition to working from home. A tale of two Americas emerges. Those who could adjust to work from home, and those who could not.
A quick deep viz dive into the data...π§΅
#wfh
With AVs, we have two competing forces at play: 1) AVs can be programmed to be safer drivers than humans; 2) when cars and humans mix, we have a recipe for collisions and, worse, fatalities. If we want safe roads, with AVs or not, we need to de-conflict the road network. (1/x)
JUST IN: The California DMV has suspended Cruise from operating its driverless taxis in San Francisco, effective immediately. trib.al/61U6kl7
Ultimately, AVs are a technology that is actually safer than the human alternative but is limited (at least today) by a road network that contains operational conflicts that require human interaction. The same conflicts that drive traffic fatalities north of 40k a year in the USA
If we want a safe network, if we want walking and bike commuting (and also btw if we want AVs), we need to move to a network that deconflicts users.
#AutonomousVehicles #roadsafety #urbanplanning #transportation #streetdesign
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
Out today in @Nature, we show that PM2.5 from wildfires has reversed, eroded, or stagnated broader improvements in total PM2.5 levels in 3/4 of contiguous US states. Led by superstar Marissa Childs and @MarshallBBurke with excellent team
Second paper on wildfire smoke from our @stanfordecholab group out this week. This one quantifies the contribution of wildfire to US PM2.5 trends. We find much broader wildfire influence than previously estimated, on both avgs and extremes. Quick thread. nature.com/articles/s41586-0β¦
Two of the best in the policy world crushing it for Boston. They get it. π @jfh & Oliver β at Berkeley, CA
Weβre looking for partners to help us get EV charging onto curbs around our Cityβstarting this year. To apply, visit: boston.gov/bids
@BostonBTD @jfh
Canβt remember if I said so here, but we moved to Berkeley, CA and it is nice here. Finishing up the PhD & will be figuring out whatβs next over rest of the year. If you know cool peeps in the area who care about #sustainabletransport, #airquality, and #greenspace, let me know! β at Berkeley, CA
As I explained to my toddler, bicycling & walking take up less space than cars so we can build more playgrounds. π
Rapid urbanization means we need to talk more about space in the same sentence as transport.
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
This @NYtimes article is so damning.
These disparities are predictable when fast roads are concentrated in low-income communities -- but sidewalks and bike lanes are not.
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
The crisis on our roadways continues to follow a clear and consistent pattern of Black & Latinx pedestrians being killed at significantly higher rates than white pedestrians & the design our roadways has a lot to do with these troubling disparities.
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
For every mile walked by a Black American, the risk of being killed by a car is more than double that of a white American. For every mile bicycled while Black, the risk of death is over 4x.
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
π§΅Black and Hispanic pedestrians are killed at significantly higher rates than white pedestrians β and the physical design of our cities is partly to blame. Read more in my article for today's @nytopinion:
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦
Traffic fatalities are a preventable crisis but they do not affect all Americans equally. Our research found that Black Americans are more likely to die on our roads per mile-traveled than White Americans regardless of if they walk, bike, or drive.
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦ β at Kirkwood, MO
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
An estimated 19 pedestrians a day were struck and killed by cars in the US last yearβa disproportionate number of them Black and Hispanic. The history of racism in the physical design of our cities is partly to blame. More in my guest essay for @nytimes
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦
Matthew Raifman, PhDπΆββοΈπ²ππ΄ retweeted
"Vision Zero can be remarkably effective...But it requires a committed redesign of city streets and bikeways, not just rhetoric and ribbon-cutting ceremonies." @SegByDesign @nytimes #DangerousByDesign
nytimes.com/interactive/2023β¦
