New York Street Design

Earlier this year, New York City’s Department of Transportation released their Street Design Manual, with the purpose of being a guide towards quality design and sound implementation. After defining street typologies, the document continues to outline how people interact with the space, the materials used, and aesthetics, specifically lighting and furniture considerations.

The manual’s overall goals are:

1. Design for Safety: Move people and goods safely.

2. Design for Access and Mobility: Accommodate all street users,giving priority to the most energy– and space efficient modes.

3. Design for Context: Respond to neighborhood character.

4. Design for Livability: Create a vibrant public realm with high–quality public spaces.

5. Design for Sustainability: Contribute to a healthier andmore sustainable environment.

6. Design for Visual Excellence: Create coherent and harmonious streetscapes.

7. Design for Cost–Effectiveness: Provide the greatest possible value to the public.

These ideas are expanded upon here.

These guides are fun reads as they look towards innovations and successes from cities all around the world, attempting to apply international ideas to their respective city. After all, a good design can work anywhere.

The Street Design Manual can be found via New York City’s DOT.

The future of pedestrian navigation

An App brings the New York subway system to the palm of your hand. To make things even easier for your day trip to the city, there are additional Apps that now include amenities as well - changing the way we interact with our cities!

The world is ours. Well, New York at least.

Better late than never, Utah

"We wanted to find out if cities are moving in the right direction, if they're realizing what they do in regard to land use

and transportation actually has a public health impact."

This story brings me back to my half-completed thesis project as it takes a look at the built environment and how it affects citizens’ health.

There are healthy lifestyle movements happening in cities all over the world, but no coordinated effort to plan healthy, walkable communities. We are required to take time out of our day to drive to a gym to run in a single place - there is something not very practical with that picture. If a healthy development plan was inherent, this would change the way people interact with cities, benefiting us in the long term, also promoting a more sustainable lifestyle - prompting us to walking to school, to amenities or even having live/work arrangements.

The following illustrates a place starting from the basics, with several neighbourhoods even lacking sidewalks. Poor design and weak policies are promoting sedentary lifestyles keeping neighbourhoods unhealthy and contributing to the rising Body Mass Index (BMI) levels.

These ideas are explored through Utah, but think of your neighbourhood when reading this, especially if you’re the type to drive everywhere.

Via The Salt Lake Tribune

Making Sense of Place

From the Lincoln Land Institute of Land Policy website:

Making Sense of Place is a documentary film and educational outreach project launched by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The first film, Phoenix: The Urban Desert examined explosive, dispersed growth in the booming Southwest metropolis and the practical and environmental issues that have accompanied. The second film, Cleveland: Confronting Decline in an American City, traces urban decay, and efforts at revitalization, in what was once America's 5th largest city.

Recently, Portland: Quest for the Livable City was released exploring innovation and conflict about growth and land use regulation in the self-proclaimed "City that Works" Portland, Oregon.

Janette Sadik-Khan speaks at the Canadian Urban Institute

New public plaza, formerly a parking lot (Photo: New York City Department of Transportation)

Going through my Spacing Radio podcasts during my commute to school, I heard an interesting and inspiring speech from Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City's Commissioner of Transportation. She was in Toronto earlier this year to speak about the transformation of her City's public space.

She outlines her progressive plan which contributes to the convenience and safety of citizens, while creating a sense of place. The plan aims at making a more people-focused New York - even if it means taking space away from cars.

Listen here.

More reading material found at the New York City DOT