Shared Space
Streetsblog Basics
Q&A: Trottenberg Previews Tomorrow’s “Shared Streets” Debut
Summer Streets takes a big step forward this weekend with "Shared Streets: Lower Manhattan." From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow, DOT will open up a 60-block radius in the Financial District to pedestrians and cyclists, limiting motor vehicle access to residents, deliveries, and emergency vehicles [PDF].
August 12, 2016
New Twist for Summer Streets This Year — A Low-Car Zone Way Downtown
In addition to the customary three Saturdays of car-free streets on Park Avenue and Lafayette Street this summer, the city will be trying out something new for Summer Streets. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on August 13, car traffic will be limited within a 60-block area of the Financial District.
June 16, 2016
Study: “Shared Space” Slows Drivers While Letting Traffic Move Efficiently
The idea behind "shared space" street design is that less can be more. By ditching signage, traffic lights, and the grade separation between sidewalk and roadbed, the shared space approach calms traffic and heightens communication between drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Instead of following traffic signals on auto-pilot or speeding up to beat the light, motorists have to pay attention to their surroundings.
February 8, 2016
Hudson Square Plaza Revamp Leaves Shared Space Street for Another Day
A plan to convert a two-block street on the border of Soho and Hudson Square into shared space is going to sit on the shelf -- for now.
February 6, 2015
Reimagining Jay Street With Shared Space and Protected Bike Lanes
Jay Street is one of the major north-south spines of Downtown Brooklyn. The street is full of pedestrians near MetroTech, cyclists going to and from the Manhattan Bridge, and buses connecting to nearby subways, but it's not designed to serve anyone particularly well -- except, perhaps, people with parking placards. Double-parked cars constantly obstruct bike lanes and buses. Pedestrians deal with dangerous intersections. Everyone is frustrated.
November 21, 2014
DOT Studying Shared Space for Three Blocks Next to Willoughby Plaza
Three narrow blocks near Willoughby Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn could become "shared space" streets under a DOT plan to blur the lines between sidewalks and car lanes. The concept has been under discussion for years as a way to slow motorists and give pedestrians more breathing room, and the city is now studying this concept in earnest. There are some funds allocated for construction, and DOT is planning to get feedback on potential designs at a public meeting next month.
September 17, 2014
Buenos Aires: Building a People-Friendly City
Buenos Aires is fast becoming one of the most admired cities in the world when it comes to reinventing streets and transportation.
July 30, 2014
Bikes, Cars, and People Co-Exist on Pittsburgh’s Shared Streets
Summer is finally here, but livable streets advocates already can’t wait for September to come. The biennial Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place conference is taking place in Pittsburgh, a city that's shedding its "Rust Belt" image and emerging as a leader in progressive street design with the help of a new mayor who’s committed to biking, walking, and public space.
July 3, 2014
Talking Shared Space With Ben Hamilton-Baillie
"Recovering architect" and street design expert Ben Hamilton-Baillie launched a broadside against the rules of traffic engineering during a plenary speech to the Congress for the New Urbanism's recent annual meeting in Buffalo. Baillie urges widespread adoption of "shared space" -- a design concept popularized by Hans Monderman over the past generation in the Netherlands that has only just begun to make headway in the United States.
July 3, 2014