So, the answer is basically "Because the city government decided they didn't want pedestrians to die, and acted accordingly."
Yes it's really that simple.
When Oslo and Helsinki achieved the same thing, it didn't start with people asking for visible crossings or bicycle lanes. It started with people voting in a government that promised to get rid of pedestrian deaths. The actual plans and design followed.
People might dismiss and argue for or against specific solutions, but I think we can all agree that pedestrian deaths are bad, so it shouldn't be difficult to get started, regardless of who is running the government.
With a title like this, it's kind of disappointing that the answer is just "good infrastructure planning" and not something like "the land is cursed such that all who walk upon it shall rise again forever more."
Haha I think it’s kind of exciting that it’s something so simple. It’s also something that I’ve been complaining about in my city for years, even before I got into urbanism. It’s just such an obviously good idea to ban parking on the corners.
Welcome to Europe
