Traffic Calming
Streetsblog Basics
London’s Do-It-Yourself Approach to Safer Streets
In the UK, the non-profit Sustrans is pioneering a community-based method to reclaim streets from high-speed traffic and make neighborhoods safer and more sociable places. Called "DIY Streets," the program brings neighbors together to help them redesign their streets in a way that puts people, safety, and streetlife first.
August 10, 2010
Copenhagen’s Car-Free Streets and Slow-Speed Zones
In Copenhagen, you never have to travel very far to see a beautiful
public space or car-free street packed with people soaking up the day.
In fact, since the early 1960s, 18 parking lots in the downtown area
have been converted into public spaces for playing, meeting, and
generally just doing things that human beings enjoy doing. If you're
hungry, there are over 7,500 cafe seats in the city.
August 4, 2010
Radar Survey Says: New PPW Has Reversed the Curse of Speeding Traffic
The Prospect Park West bike lane has bestowed order and virtually eliminated the raceway conditions on a street where speeding used to be the norm.
August 3, 2010
As PPW Intrigue Mounts, Brooklyn Paper Defends the Completed Street
Before I get to the "intrigue" part of this post (it's juicy), first let me say that if you haven't checked out the Prospect Park West re-design yet, you owe it to yourself to head on over and take a look. Last time I checked, some of the finishing touches have yet to appear, but it's already one of the most effective street transformations the city has undertaken.
July 1, 2010
Tonight: Voices of Reason Needed to Counter PPW Bike Lane Hysteria
Its fresh green paint is already bringing relief to car-free commuters, but that hasn't stopped anonymous opponents of a safer Prospect Park West from continuing to spread anti-cyclist tripe of the kind pictured above.
June 21, 2010
DOT Unveils Union Square Upgrades to Manhattan CB 5
Last night NYCDOT showed plans for a package of safety upgrades and public space improvements for Union Square [PDF] to Manhattan Community Board 5's transportation committee. Under the plan, the north and west sides of the square would see much less traffic and receive more space for pedestrians and new cycle tracks. Several elements of the project are novel for New York, including a contraflow bike lane proposed for Union Square North and two blocks that would be car-free some of the time.
April 27, 2010
Streetfilms: Tom Vanderbilt Talks Driver Behavior and Psychology
Whether you’re a transportation geek or just curious about why people do the things they do behind the wheel, Tom Vanderbilt’s Traffic is one of the most fascinating books you can open up. Tom, who also writes the excellent blog How We Drive, was kind enough to drop by the Streetfilms office for a conversation about … Continued
April 27, 2010
Anonymous Bike Lane Opponent Scores Media Coup on NY1
This report on the proposed Prospect Park West bike lane from NY1's Jeanine Ramirez doesn't quite stoop to Marcia Kramer levels of fabrication, but that might make it even more insidious. Slap together a few shots of ill-informed people on the street, add an anonymous flyer, and you've got a story headlined "Park Slope Residents Oppose Addition Of Bike Lane."
April 21, 2010
City, State DOTs Ask Albany to Help Keep Road Workers Safe
On Monday DOT marked National Work Zone Awareness Week with a new PR campaign and a call for state legislators to adopt penalties for drivers who endanger road workers -- and, ergo, city pedestrians and cyclists.
April 20, 2010
Memo to Marty: Let’s Go Ahead and “Balance Out” Prospect Park West
Today's Andrea Bernstein interview with Marty Markowitz (transcript here) is a must-read if you want to get inside the head of the Brooklyn Beep and see the borough through the tint of his windshield.
April 12, 2010