\u201cShared spaces\u201d are streets where driving is allowed\u00a0but walking and biking take priority. They\u00a0are designed without curbs, signage, and other typical markers that separate cars from people on foot. The design cues are subtler. Everyone mixes together in the same space, and drivers travel slowly enough that they can make eye contact with pedestrians.<\/p>\n
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Can you have an \u201caccidental\u201d shared space \u2014 a street with curbs where people are still comfortable walking in the road?\u00a0Richard Masoner at Network blog Cyclelicious\u00a0says Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz functions as a shared space\u00a0on weekends even though it wasn\u2019t planned as one:<\/p>\n
\nMost of those driving \u2014\u00a0even tourists with out-of-state license plates \u2014\u00a0take care to watch for people meandering into the street from arbitrary locations.<\/p>\n
This kind of slow traffic naturally improves safety for people on bikes. I\u2019ve talked to people who strongly dislike riding with traffic, but feel perfectly fine biking through downtown.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nI\u2019m not smart enough to know if it\u2019s culture, design, or what that influences people to drive more carefully here. My crazy hypothesis: we have several people with a tolerance for high risk behavior who are willing to violate social norms and jump into traffic willy nilly.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t recommend this as public policy \u2014\u00a0even in Santa Cruz, such individuals who dash across busy intersections against a red light are hit by cars \u2014\u00a0but I think we have a critical mass of people like this who embolden others to claim and own our public spaces.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
If pedestrians feel comfortable taking over the street, it sounds like planners and the community did something right.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere on the Network today: Greater Greater Washington\u00a0lambasts the\u00a0half-baked plan for cutting late night DC Metro service. The City Fix reports on\u00a0new financing techniques that could help support walkable urban development. And 1000 Friends of Wisconsin shares stories from a recent transportation equity summit\u00a0about how the state\u2019s\u00a0lousy support for transit\u00a0affects people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cShared spaces\u201d are streets where driving is allowed\u00a0but walking and biking take priority. They\u00a0are designed without curbs, signage, and other typical markers that separate cars from people on foot. The design cues are subtler. Everyone mixes together in the same space, and drivers travel slowly enough that they can make eye contact with pedestrians. Can … Continue reading When People Aren\u2019t Afraid to Walk in the Street With Cars<\/span>