The livable streets movement is changing the way cities around the world
\nwork. From Paris to Melbourne, cities are dedicating increasing amounts
\nof public space to pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit. London
\npedestrianized part of Trafalgar Square; Vienna closed its central streets
\nto vehicle traffic; Copenhagen built an extensive bicycle network; Bogot\u00e1
\nchose busses over highways. In the United States, cities, states and now
\nCongress have either passed or are considering legislation that would
\nrequire transportation planners to consider the needs of all users \u2013 not just
\nthose in motor vehicles. As New York sets out to fulfill PlaNYC\u2019s promise of
\ndozens of new pedestrian plazas and hundreds
\nof miles of bike lanes, the city is poised to be at
\nthe forefront of this historic movement.<\/p>\n
In the U.S., the livability movement is
\nnothing short of a sea change in government
\ntransportation policies that have been singularly
\nfocused on motor vehicles for decades. The
\ndriving force of this movement continues to
\nbe a growing recognition of the economic and
\nenvironmental costs of existing policy and a
\nsearch for alternatives. Livable streets encourage
\nwalking, cycling and transit trips, cut into these
\ncosts and also advance important societal goals.
\nLondon\u2019s Walking Plan, for example, argues that
\nwalking contributes to \u201chealth and well-being\u201d
\nand to the \u201cvibrancy\u201d of the city, while other
\nprograms point to benefits such as a stronger sense of community.<\/p>\n
The economic benefits of livable streets, despite their growing importance
\nin transportation policy planning, are presently not well understood. This is
\ndue in part to a paucity of research: there have been almost no published
\nstudies in the U.S. on economic impacts, and only a handful in Europe. In
\naddition, it has been difficult to untangle the specific impact of measures
\nsuch as new pedestrian amenities or parking regulations from other civic
\nimprovements put in place simultaneously.<\/p>\n
Livable streets have demonstrated the following effects on local economies: The livable streets movement is changing the way cities around the world work. From Paris to Melbourne, cities are dedicating increasing amounts of public space to pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit. London pedestrianized part of Trafalgar Square; Vienna closed its central streets to vehicle traffic; Copenhagen built an extensive bicycle network; Bogot\u00e1 chose busses over … <\/p>\n
\n
\u2022 Pedestrian zones in city centers have boosted foot traffic by 20-40% and retail sales by 10-25%.
\n
\u2022 Property values have increased by nearly one-third after traffic calming measures were installed.
\n
\u2022 Property values on quiet streets are generally higher than those on noisy streets. In the extreme,
\nthe value of a house on a quiet street would be 8-10% higher than the same house on a noisy
\nstreet.
\n
\u2022 Public recreational and gathering space increases property values. Apartment prices near
\ncommunity gardens in New York City are 7% higher than comparable apartments in the same
\nneighborhood.
\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.transalt.org\/files\/newsroom\/reports\/streets_to_live_by.pdf<\/a>oldId.20080816214420436<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"