The tangled web of planning for active transport
- 1. Steven Burgess, MRCagney AITPM, July, 2015 sburgess@mrcagney.com @burgess_steven 1
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- 4. Exchange more important than movement; A place not a link; Most important element of the open space network; May or may not carry vehicles; Supportive of adjacent land use. 4
- 5. For movement more than exchange; A link, not a place; Part of the movement network, not open space; Derives its economic benefit for efficient movement over distance. 5
- 6. Land Use has a big influence on streets. 6
- 7. Designing a street as a road squeezes out active transport 7
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- 10. We cant deal with it the same way. 10
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- 12. How important are: Truck turning paths? Clear zones? Building setbacks? Pavement widths? How important is: Shade? Gathering/play space? Walkability? 12
- 13. Obesity is now the leading cause of premature death and disability Sedentary lifestyles and environments that don’t support physical activity increase the prevalence of chronic diseases Health system’s most important challenge, as 65% of adults will be overweight or obese by 2020. 13
- 14. Do we respect the devastating impact that designing for cars has on our health? 14
- 15. Consequence of making car travel “safe”? Consequence of road safety principles being applied to streets? User hierarchy in streets. Are our kids growing up in vital, active, happy safe streets? 15
- 16. Make streets safe for cars, trucks, buses and trams? Make streets safe for active transport? Streets contributing to healthy neighbourhoods? Streets supporting adjacent land use? Streets as a key part of open space network? Streets we can afford? Streets people enjoy! 16
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- 18. The secret to active transport demand Integrated land uses. Provide a network of interconnected streets designed for all users but give priority to pedestrians and cyclists. Locate neighbourhood centres at the intersection of major streets to provide retail exposure. 18
- 19. The hierarchy illustrates the priority of consideration for each use in a street: pedestrians cyclists public transport users motorists. 19
- 20. Streets are classified according to the places they serve. Those places determine the role and function of the street. main streets mixed-use streets streets for living industrial streets movement streets 20
- 21. Activity is central to surrounding community; Accommodates retail, employment, leisure, education etc.; Active throughout the day and into the night Not isolated to cities; Residential amenity not normally an issue. 21
- 22. Mix of residential, commercial and retail; Occasional services and community uses; Wide variety of uses; Must retain some residential amenity. 22
- 23. Predominantly for living Also contain incidental shops, school, home office; Places to walk, meet, cycle, play etc Also can convey vehicle traffic Amenity for living a priority 23
- 24. Main Street Mixed Use Street Living Street 24
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- 26. Parking is a key element in active transport: balance on-street and off- street parking supply design parking that is accessible and not obstructive to users make parking aesthetically acceptable use parking to separate users of the street manage parking turnover to improve - and not detract from - street vibrancy manage short-term parking to avoid impacts on other street users. 26
- 28. A new design process Land Use Function Form Prototype Don’t provide a supply of street space based on a future traffic demand, as we would in a road design… 28
- 29. Get purpose and function right before moving on to form Street design is not road design Street hierarchy and road hierarchy are not related The traffic model is your slave, not your master Link, place, origin and destination are inextricably linked Parking is just a traffic generating land use Find some touchstone exemplar Streets – keep asking yourself, “Why do I like them?” “Why are they good?” Make communities, not just suburbs Allow the land use to prosper – to be excellent 29