The Pandemic Gave New York City ‘Open Streets.’ Will They Survive?
34th Avenue in Queens has become the gold standard for an open street that puts people ahead of cars, but critics say it goes too far.
Southern California Association of Governments GoHuman Campaign
Type: Tactical Urbanism Demonstration Project Series
Size: 11 Projects (6 Counties: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura)
Status: Complete
Street Plans, together with Alta Planning + Design, designed and implemented seven Tactical Urbanism projects as part of the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) Go Human region-wide safety and encouragement campaign. The primary goal of the Tactical Urbanism component of the campaign was to promote region-wide walking and biking, and allow residents to temporarily experience roadways that are designed for people – not just cars. The projects were implemented in 11 cities across the SCAG region during 2016-2017. Project types ranged from open streets events to demonstration projects (such as pop-up bike lanes and temporary traffic circles or curb extensions), depending on each city’s goals.
The first of the eleven projects was completed on October 2016 in Long Beach, CA. Dubbed “Activate Uptown,” the project featured an open streets event as well as a temporary bicycle boulevard. Street Plans led design and materials procurement for the bicycle boulevard, which included art crosswalks, a traffic circle, and other features. These temporary treatments allowed event attendees to experience an enhanced walking and biking boulevard, catalyzing momentum towards permanent change in the future. The second event occurred December 2016 in Cudahy, CA. This event featured a demonstration traffic circle, temporary bikeway markings, as well as a number of pedestrian safety improvements (such as curb extensions) near a local school. The third event in Garden Grove, CA featured demonstrations of protected bike lanes, art crosswalks, and a neighborhood greenway.
On Saturday, December 3rd, 2016 Street Plans implemented the second of seven demonstration projects in Cudahy, California, which featured a temporary protected bike lane, a pop-up traffic circle, and sidewalk extensions. This project also celebrated the kick-off to the LA River Upper Segment Revitalization Plan. The street safety projects not only slowed down traffic, but also created easier access to the LA River Bike Path.
Throughout the spring and summer of 2017, Street Plans helped deliver similar Tactical Urbanism projects in additional locations including the cities of Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, and Riverside. The project series ended in June of 2017 with an Orange County project, in partnership with OC Parks and the cities of Anaheim and Yorba Linda.
City Cleanup Corps to Take Over Running Fort Greene Open Streets
Street Plans provided pro bono support for the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Open Streets Coalition in undertaking user counts along three open streets: S. Portland, Hall St, and Willoughby Ave.
New! Streets for Voting Guide – Version 1.0
The Guide is directed towards election officials, transportation professionals, and voting rights advocates who want to achieve a fair and inclusive election.
Confronting COVID-19
In a recent webinar hosted by ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative, Principal Tony Garcia discussed how creative uses of transportation infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic have helped provide spaces to gather in socially distant ways.
Open House for Hudson Connects
Street Plans hosted the second community workshop for the Hudson Connects Implementation Plan. Key projects were selected with help from community members to test as temporary projects during the first week of October
Tactical Urbanism as a Tool for Equity?
Principals Tony Garcia and Mike Lydon were interviewed by Streetsblog USA on how recent events have sparked new conversations around equity in the application of the Tactical Urbanism methodology.
Tactical Urbanism Article Published
Principal Tony Garcia was cited in a an article by California Planning & Development Report titled COVID Crisis Revives Debate About How Public Space Is Used. Tony describes how the Tactical Urbanism methodology can help tackle physical distancing.
The Monocle Minute
Street Plans Principal Mike Lydon was cited in The Monocle Minute newsletter on the Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery guide that synthesizes emerging practices in transportation and street design.
Open Streets for Small Businesses
Mike Lydon was quoted in this CNN Business article about the need to configure our streets to support walking, biking, and high-frequency transit to aid in the country’s economic recovery. Read more in our Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery guide.
The War on Cars Interview
Mike Lydon joined The War on Cars podcast to talk about the positive changes that have resulted from the spacial reallocation of our streets during the COVID pandemic. He thinks that cities can start looking at ways to make some changes permanent.