What are safer streets worth? Bridging resident preferences and policy design in traffic calming

Source abstract

Rapid urbanization has intensified conflicts between mobility, safety, and livability, making public acceptance a decisive factor in the success of traffic-calming initiatives. This study investigates how residents perceive, prioritize, and economically value traffic-calming measures in Portland, Oregon—an international model for neighborhood greenway development. Employing a best–worst scaling (BWS) experiment, we identify strong preferences for moderate and visually integrated designs (e.g., mini roundabouts, median refuge islands) and lower acceptance of more restrictive measures such as diverters. A complementary contingent valuation method (CVM) quantifies residents’ willingness to pay (WTP) for these improvements, revealing substantial heterogeneity associated with perceived congestion, neighborhood engagement, and socioeconomic conditions. By integrating behavioral preferences with economic valuation, the study demonstrates that context-sensitive design can simultaneously enhance public support and policy efficiency. These findings bridge behavioral and economic perspectives, offering actionable guidance for developing equitable, publicly supported, and financially sustainable traffic-calming programs in rapidly urbanizing cities.