ACHIEVING VISION ZERO ON MLK BOULEVARD: ENHANCING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND RECLAIMING COMMUNITY IDENTITY IN SOUTH DALLAS
Abstract
Fair Park, Dallas is a major connection of historical displacement, urban neglect, and pedestrian safety issues, especially along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (MLK Blvd). MLK Boulevard is one of the most hazardous pedestrian roads in North Texas, because of the combination of heavy traffic, high pedestrian activity, and poor pedestrian infrastructure. The boulevard, a vital entryway to Fair Park and a centre of local business, receives a lot of foot traffic, but safety improvements are lacking (Dallas City News, 2023; Dallas Examiner, 2023). Due to its high crash rate, poor sidewalks, lack of crosswalks, and poor lighting, MLK Blvd is one of Dallas' most dangerous pedestrian areas, despite being an essential vehicle and pedestrian corridor that connects residents to Fair Park (Phillips, 2024; "South Dallas Residents Conflicted on Proposition A," 2024). These problems draw attention to ongoing disparities in infrastructure and economic standing that resulted from urban renewal initiatives in the middle of the 20th century, which forcefully uprooted over 300 Black families to increase Fair Park's facilities ("Why We Need to Remember What Happened at Fair Park," 2024). In addition to disrupting an established community, this forced evacuation had an ongoing effect on the neighborhood, highlighting the necessity of focused safety improvements. (Phillips, 2024). By addressing the long-standing effects of gentrification in the Fair Park area and putting in place streetscape design solutions that prioritise pedestrian safety and walkability, this thesis explores how to achieve Vision Zero on MLK Boulevard in Dallas, Texas. The main objective is to investigate the implementation of Vision Zero strategies that could eliminate traffic-related incidents by prioritising pedestrian safety. This research focuses on Fair Park and MLK Boulevard due to their historical relevance and current pedestrian safety concerns. In the 1960s and 1970s, eminent domain was used to evict numerous Black residents to expand the park's infrastructure, especially parking lots, resulting in a considerable loss and fragmentation of the primarily Black neighbourhood around Fair Park (D Magazine, 2024). A strong cultural identity that is symbolic of the neighborhood’s past and the community it serves is another goal of the project. But State Fair extensions mostly uprooted them, leaving behind a run-down suburb with inadequate pedestrian infrastructure. The methodology uses geographic information system (GIS) to examine pedestrian crash data and identify high-risk regions. Streetscape design solutions are based on the recommendations of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), which emphasise traffic calming techniques, enlarged sidewalks, improved crosswalks, and community-focused green spaces. The results of the study demonstrate how important equitable and culturally sensitive design solutions are for enhancing pedestrian safety and bringing life to a historically underprivileged community. Among the suggestions are streetscape enhancements that prioritise pedestrian safety, honour the neighborhood’s cultural significance, and foster a feeling of community. This thesis connects the goals of Vision Zero with the need for equitable conditions to provide an extensive framework for safer and more welcoming neighborhoods. By addressing the neighborhood’s history of gentrification, the aim is to make it a safer and more accessible area for commuters who depend on walking