Strong Towns Boca Raton Experiment: Crossing Palmetto Park Road at St Paul Lutheran School

Описание: What does it actually feel like to cross Palmetto Park Road at **St. Paul Lutheran School?

In this Strong Towns Boca Raton experiment, we put it to the test.

👉 How difficult do you think it was to cross?
👉 Would you feel comfortable letting a child cross here alone?

We discovered something striking:
Crossing as an individual was extremely difficult. Traffic moved fast, drivers were hesitant to stop, and the street felt more like a highway than a neighborhood road.

But when we crossed as a large group — holding flags and taking up the visual space of a car — drivers stopped.

This video explains why that happens and what it reveals about street design:

✔️ Speed signals priority
✔️ Wide, fast roads discourage yielding
✔️ Drivers respond to perceived risk and visibility
✔️ Streets communicate who they are built for

Palmetto Park Road moves traffic at high speeds— but at what cost to safety, accessibility, and neighborhood life?

Near a school and residential neighborhood speed should support safety, not undermine it.

This experiment raises an important question:

👉 Should crossing the street safely require strength in numbers?

🎥 In this video:

• Real-world crossing attempt at St. Paul Lutheran School
• Why drivers stopped for a group but not an individual
• How speed and design influence driver behavior
• Why this matters for school zones and neighborhood safety
• What safer street design could look like

💬 Join the conversation

Have you tried crossing Palmetto Park Road here?
Would you let your child walk across this street?
Thoughts on a redesign?

Comment below 👇


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