Let’s re-imagine a street network where everyone from 8 to 80 years old can move about their city and feel safe regardless of their mode of travel.
Road Diets: Reducing a four lane road to a three or two lane road with more bike/pedestrian facilities
- 3-5 MPH reduction in speed
- 3 lane streets can handle as much traffic as 4 lane
- Road Diets can increase car parking
- Can be very cheap when coordinated with routine resurfacing
Traffic Calming: The slowing of traffic by building speed bumps or other physical obstructions
- 92% decrease in retail vacancy on Hendersonville, NC Main St after traffic calming
- 25-50% of public space in cities is made up of streets and parking
- 50% reduction in violent crime in Dayton, OH following speed reductions and limiting access to alleys
Walkability: A measure of how friendly an area is to walking
- A one point increase in Walk Score increases home values by $700-$3000
- Retail properties with Walk Score of 80 are valued 54% higher than those with a Walk Score of 20.
- Retail properties with Walk Score of 80 have 42% higher operating income than those with a Walk Score of 20.
- People who live in neighborhoods with sidewalks are 47% more likely to be active at least 30 minutes per day
Source: AARP.org/Livable
