In the heart of Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, where speeding vehicles and pedestrian movement intertwine daily, SK Danau Kota 2 has become the focal point of a transformative initiative aimed to make school streets safer for students to walk and cycle. This project was backed by the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), a program that has committed to address rising concerns over road traffic deaths and support road safety interventions in cities worldwide. Kuala Lumpur is among the cities selected to participate in this initiative, reflecting a commitment to reducing road crashes and improving the safety of vulnerable road-users. In collaboration with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), GDCI aimed at redefining the streets around the school, making them safer, more accessible and welcoming for children and families.
Understanding the Need for Change
Before the intervention, the streets outside SK Danau Kota 2 were fraught with challenges. The sidewalks were narrow, pedestrian crossings were unsafe, and vehicles often sped through the area at a speed of 40km/h—well above the safe speed limits of 25 km/h especially for school zones. The situation was made worse by disorganized traffic and illegal parking, which frequently blocked sightlines and made it harder for drivers to see children crossing.
A survey involving 558 parents revealed that 70% of them felt the streets around the school were not safe for their children. During engagement sessions, students themselves shared their concerns, highlighting the lack of safe spaces for walking or moving around independently.
Recognizing the urgent need for change, we embarked on a journey following a structured Design Process:
Learning from the local context: Engaging with students, parents, and teachers to understand their concerns and aspirations.
Site Analysis: Conducting site studies to identify risks, problem areas and opportunities.
Design: Developing community-driven solutions with input from stakeholders focusing on safe streets..
Interim Implementation: Rolling out quick-build solutions through a trial to make an immediate difference
Evaluating the impact: Testing the design on site, collecting metrics and adapting the design to suit the on-site conditions
Move towards long-term impact: Based on the trial, pushing for capital construction and scaling up through similar projects across the city
Designing Safer Streets: Key Actions
Through collaborative planning and on-the-ground implementation, several key interventions transformed the streetscape:
Extending the Sidewalk: Wider sidewalks now accommodate greater pedestrian flow, ensuring pedestrians have a clear and safe space to walk.
Creating Spaces for People: A designated plaza area offers a safe and vibrant space where children can wait for their transport. 1,365 sq.m. of underutilized space has been reclaimed.
Reducing Vehicle Speeds: Traffic calming measures, such as raised pedestrian crossings and narrow travel lanes, significantly reduced the average vehicle speeds from 40km/h to 23km/h, an approximately 41% reduction in speed..
Shorter, Safer Crossings: Redesigned crosswalks have reduced pedestrian crossing distances from 10.5m to 5.5m and 3.3m, while reducing their exposure and vulnerability by 70%.
Green & Shaded Streets: Trees and canopies now provide shade and cooling, making walking more comfortable.
Clear Signages: New road signs warn motorists of the school zone, encouraging safer driving behavior within safe speeds of 30 kmph.
The Impact: A Safer, More Inclusive School Street
The transformation of SK Danau Kota 2’s streets has resulted in remarkable improvements. Post-implementation, the average vehicle speed reduced by 50%, aligning with global best practices for road safety. The area has seen a 62.4% increase in pedestrian footfall.
"I feel much safer walking to school now. The crossings are easier, and cars actually slow down."
Aidil & Thufaied
Students
“My parents now let me cycle to school, earlier they used to be afraid of the street conditions being unsafe.”
Jashpreet
Student
“The street now feels more orderly with drop off & pick up areas that are more appropriate & safe.”
Haslinda
Parent Teachers Association
“We feel more comfortable walking to the mosque with a group of 30 students with the sidewalks made wider.”
Ustaz Abdullah
Teacher
The success of this pilot project serves as a catalyst for broader policy discussions. SK Danau Kota 2 school is the first site in Malaysia to be gazetted at 30km/h, setting in motion a national shift toward safer school streets. The initiative aligns with Malaysia’s national road safety goals of setting speed limits of 30 km/h around schools, which emphasize safer speeds and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure around schools as was committed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Zahid Hamidi in July, 2024. The project’s insights contribute to the government’s decision to gazette the speed limit of 30 km/h in school zones , supporting a shift towards safer streets for all across the country. In April 2025, the country’s Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, also reiterated the urgency to undertake such efforts nation-wide.
A Future Built on Safe, Inclusive Streets
This project is a testament to what’s possible when communities, governments, and technical experts come together with a shared vision. With this as a top priority for the City’s Mayor, Kuala Lumpur is now committed to create safer streets across four school zones in the city within this year (2025)
The transformation of SK Danau Kota 2 proves that even small, targeted interventions can create lasting change. As cities across Malaysia and beyond seek to enhance urban safety, this project serves as both a model and a motivation. By prioritizing the needs of children and vulnerable road users, we are not just redesigning streets, we are reshaping futures.
Scaling up Streets for Kids: Highlights from the 2025 Streets for Kids Leadership Accelerator
In 2025, GDCI brought together a selected group of 10 city teams working to scale up their efforts to create more and better Streets for Kids in Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador through multiple projects, programs, and policies. Here’s a look back and key learnings from a two-month online capacity-building program.
In October 2024, the Streets for Kids project was inaugurated in the Jordão neighborhood in Recife, Brazil, a community where children faced multiple challenges accessing safe and high-quality public spaces. Heavy rains, frequent flooding, and landslide risks often made their journey to school dangerous and unpredictable. Throughout the process, children, caregivers, school staff, and residents were engaged to co-create solutions that improve access to schools, supporte outdoor play and social connection, and set a precedent for future child-focused street transformations in Recife.
Creating Safer Spaces for Play: Tackling Air Pollution in Accra
In collaboration with the Korle Klottey Municipality and with support from the Clean Air Fund, GDCI launched the Removing Pollution from Play project in late 2023, with the aim to tackle air pollution in school environments by implementing practical solutions, raising awareness, and empowering communities to advocate for cleaner air. In March 2025, the completed intervention was inaugurated, and the new safe play space now serves over 150 students in Accra.
