Pedestrian Safety Shouldn’t Criminalize Poverty
Why Columbia's City Staff Recommendations to Council missed the mark.
December 16th, 2024, City Staff presented a report on pedestrian safety in Columbia, Missouri. Pedestrian safety is a critical issue to be addressed, but the proposals given to City Council miss the mark. Framed as safety measures, the recommendations disproportionately target unhoused and working-class non drivers and fail to address the systemic causes of pedestrian harm.
Take, for instance, the proposal requiring reflective vests or bright clothing on high-speed roadways between dusk and dawn. While visibility matters, this approach shifts the burden of safety onto individuals rather than addressing systemic issues.It overlooks the real dangers posed by poorly lit streets, high vehicle speeds, and the absence of protected crossings or connected sidewalks. Imagine finishing a late shift, eager to see your loved ones, only to realize you forgot the reflective vest now mandated for your walk home. This policy adds another barrier for those already navigating unsafe streets. Ultimately, by framing safety as a matter of personal responsibility, the city diverts attention from real solutions like building safer public transit and pedestrian infrastructure.
Next, the proposals to ban pedestrians from standing on medians and to prohibit interactions between drivers and pedestrians are thinly veiled attempts to scapegoat the unhoused under the guise of pedestrian safety. Medians often serve as a refuge for non-drivers navigating unsafe streets or as a platform for unhoused individuals to seek visibility in a system that often leaves them feeling invisible. Similarly, banning interactions between drivers and pedestrians targets those who rely on public spaces for survival rather than addressing the systemic lack of support for vulnerable road users. The unhoused are among the most at-risk pedestrians, yet instead of protecting them, these policies criminalize their presence and further marginalize them. By policing those already on the margins, we not only fail to improve safety but actively do harm to those who need protection the most.
These recommendations underscore a deeper systemic failure to prioritize the needs of non drivers. True pedestrian safety requires meaningful investments in infrastructure like traffic calming measures, expanded sidewalks, adequate lighting, and a robust and reliable public transit system. Punitive policies criminalize poverty and blame individuals for navigating a system stacked against them, instead of addressing systemic issues.
If Columbia is serious about pedestrian safety, City Council must reject these harmful proposals and focus on solutions that protect and uplift all residents. Policies should reflect the dignity and worth of every individual, regardless of income, housing status, or ability to drive a car, and prioritize building a city where everyone can move safely and freely.
