Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership held a Tweetchat yesterday drawing attention to the role of street harassment as a barrier to walkability -- especially for women.

Cat calls, patronizing enjoinders to "smile," and more aggressive forms of harassment can make walking or biking uncomfortable or threatening.

Katie Matchett, an urban planner who writes about pedestrian issues at Where the Sidewalk Starts, still recalls getting harassed on the streets of San Diego as she was beginning her career 20 years ago. She says it's up to everyone -- men and women -- to combat it:

1. Call it what it is.Even now, street harassment is justified or explained away as harmless banter or "compliments." When we call out harassment for what it is, we give victims the ability to address it appropriately, instead of making them feel like they are the ones doing something wrong.

2. Respond.Street harassment is about power, and figuring out the right response is difficult when you're already in a position of vulnerability. Stop Street Harassment is one great resource for ways to respond effectively, providing info and links from the practical ("Using your voice, facial expressions, and body language together, without mixed signals, show assertiveness and strength.") to the whimsical.

3. Be an ally. Street harassers get away with harassment because their victims can't fight back. But often they're surrounded by people who can fight back, but who choose to remain silent. This needs to change, both on and off the street. Not only should we refuse to tolerate street harassment in the moment, we also need to include more women in conversations about transportation and infrastructure. In the 20 years since that first urban planning job, I've spent a lot of time in meetings where women are sorely underrepresented. We can't build transportation systems that work for everyone until we start hearing from everyone.

More recommended reading today: BikeWalkKC shares the good news -- voters in Kansas City have approved an $800 million bond package that will provide $450 million for complete streets and $150 million for sidewalk construction. Greater Greater Washington remarks on the irony that Trump's budget threatens to delay or kill the long-planned Purple Line light rail project while Trump himself complains that roads take too long to build. And Green Caltrain gives an update about efforts to save the Caltrain electrification project, which is also under threat in Trump's scorched-earth budget.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Thursday’s Headlines Can’t Afford a Car

High car prices (and loan default rates) are a sign of a K-shaped economy where the wealthy thrive and the lower classes struggle, CNBC reports.

October 16, 2025

In the Era of Mass Deportations, Traffic Reform is More Important Than Ever

"We have tried criminalizing our way out of systemic problems before; it has not worked, and it has harmed the very communities we claim to support."

October 16, 2025

Commentary: The Horrifying Sound of Traffic Violence

Bernal residents could have woken to the sound of a reckless driver crashing into concrete. Instead, another man is dead in a city that isn't yet serious about Vision Zero

October 15, 2025

Trump’s Electrification, Transit, and Active Transportation Cuts are Short-Sighted: Report

EV infrastructure is far more valuable to the nation's prosperity and jobs market than the White House believes, according to a new report.

October 15, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines Hurry Up and Wait

As cities save lives by slowing down traffic, every 5-miles-per-hour increase on interstates increases the chances of death by 8.5 percent.

October 15, 2025

The Audacious Idea to Connect America With Trails Is More Necessary Now Than Ever

Seattle's bike blogger takes a ride on some of Washington's best rail trails — and makes the case for extending the "Great American Rail Trail" across the country.

October 15, 2025
See all posts