As they incorporate equity into transportation planning, a number of U.S. cities are making room for bicyclists, pedestrians, scooters, and wheelchairs in every part of town.
The intersection of Story and King roads in East San Jose, California has a lethal reputation.
“There are a lot of hit-and-runs. A lot of people know that and seem to be scared of riding their bikes,” says Victoria Partida, president of the Tropicana-Lanai Neighborhood Association. The two roads are major arterials that separate a park from the shopping centers that residents rely on for their daily needs. For many in this working-class community of Mexican, Central American, and Vietnamese immigrants, crossing these roads is not optional—but it needn’t be a life-or-death decision.