On July 30, 2026, the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OahuMPO) welcomed Celeste Gilman of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for an #ImagineThis Speaker Series event focused on creating safer, more connected communities through transportation and land use planning.
During the event, Celeste introduced participants to the Safe System Approach, a framework for eliminating fatal and serious-injury crashes by recognizing that people make mistakes and designing transportation systems so those mistakes do not result in death or serious injury.
Key Takeaways
Safer Land Use
Participants explored how land use decisions can support transportation safety. Compact, connected communities can shorten travel distances, reduce reliance on driving, and make it easier for people to safely walk, bike, and take transit. The discussion also highlighted the importance of connected street networks and bringing homes, jobs, services, and destinations closer together.
Achieving Vision Zero
The event examined strategies for preventing crashes and reducing their severity. Examples included separating roadway users in space or time, improving visibility and awareness, managing vehicle speeds, addressing differences in vehicle mass, and designing intersections to reduce dangerous conflict angles.
Turning Ideas into Action
Participants applied what they learned through an interactive Impact vs. Effort activity, identifying transportation projects that could benefit Hawaiʻi and considering their potential impact alongside the level of effort required to implement them.
Common Themes
Several priorities emerged from the discussion, including safer streets with lower speeds and protected bicycle and pedestrian facilities; improved transit infrastructure; stronger integration of transportation and land use; transit-oriented and mixed-use development; policies that encourage multimodal travel; and long-term investments that create safer, more sustainable transportation systems.
The event encouraged participants to think beyond individual transportation projects and consider how street design, land use, policy, transit, and long-term investment can work together to create a safer transportation system for everyone.
Link to Celeste Gilman’s Safe System Approach Presentation.
