These are an affordable and temporary method to test out a new design, especially when introducing it to a community. By using the project, you can discover what works and what doesn’t, and feedback from users will help improve the design of the permanent project. These demos, when accompanied by a plan to track and measure their results, are also highly attractive to potential grant funding.

Anticipate project implementation barriers from the start. What are the common tensions in your agency and in your community when a new safety project is proposed? There may be concerns about access for mobility-impaired individuals, fear of not being able to evacuate or provide care in an emergency, opposition to giving up free parking, or a desire to avoid congestion. You cannot eliminate these tensions, but you can be prepared to address them, so they don’t prevent your safety project from happening.