Urban Design for Walkable and Bicycle-Friendly Communities

If they can do it in Austin – one of the most car-centric cities in the country – we can do it here too. Every neighborhood starts with an intention. In Baton Rouge, and the majority of cities around the country, the intention has historically been to develop commercial corridors and car-dependent destinations – hence, stringent parking minimums that require developers to spend resources servicing cars over people. In order to plan for vibrant, pedestrian-safe neighborhoods, we have to do something about these outdated regulations. In implementing the Government Street road diet, we saw that by taking away some road and parking space, the corridor was actually able to welcome more customers, cyclists, walkers, and others who add to the bustling street life. Current zoning rules limit our ability to plan for the kind of places where people actually want to visit, live, and start businesses. City councils across the country are realizing this, and taking steps to enact zoning measures that get rid of parking minimums. I'm glad to see it! The next time the subject of parking comes up in your community, remember: if we want walkable places, we can’t over-prescribe for parking space.  #parking #walkability #urbandesign

Redefining Urban Mobility in the Cities of Tomorrow A PHI Cubed + Ai investigation: A Vision for the Future: Urban Mobility Reimagined 🚀 As urban planners, we are at the cusp of redefining the essence of city living, driven by an urgent need for sustainability, efficiency, and enhanced quality of life. The metamorphosis of urban centers into luxurious, futuristic landscapes where technology and human-centric design converge is not just an aspiration but a necessity. 🚶♂️💡 Imagine the streets of tomorrow's cities: a harmonious blend of green spaces and pedestrian pathways interspersed with a diverse array of electric and autonomous transportation options. From electric scooters to one-wheel skateboards, from electric bikes to self-balancing scooters, and the seamless integration of autonomous vehicles, the future urban scene prioritizes the pedestrian experience, reimagining mobility as we know it. 🛴🚲🛹 Why This Change Is Inevitable: Environmental Urgency: The pressing need to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change is driving cities worldwide to embrace electric and alternative modes of transportation. Technological Advancements: Breakthroughs in battery technology, AI, and connectivity are making electric and autonomous vehicles more accessible and reliable than ever before. Public Health: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of outdoor spaces and the need for cities that promote walking and cycling over crowded public transportation. Economic Incentives: The rising costs of traditional urban infrastructure, coupled with the economic benefits of reducing traffic congestion and pollution, make the case for investing in pedestrian-friendly and sustainable transportation solutions. Our role as urban planners is pivotal in navigating these changes. We must champion policies and infrastructure investments that support the integration of innovative transportation technologies while ensuring that cities remain accessible, navigable, and enjoyable for all residents and visitors. The transition to pedestrian-friendly urban environments is not merely about adopting new modes of transportation but about fostering a culture of mobility that values sustainability, safety, and community well-being above all else. The journey toward the urban futures PHI Cubed envision is complex and fraught with challenges, yet it is also filled with unparalleled opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Let us embrace this moment to shape cities that are not just livable but are thriving ecosystems where every street, corner, and pathway reflects our shared commitment to a sustainable, equitable, and vibrant urban future. #UrbanPlanning #SustainableCities #FutureOfMobility #ElectricTransportation #SmartUrbanDesign #ClimateAction #PedestrianFriendly #Innovation #SmartCities #UrbanPlanning

Happy to share that our paper describing how urban design interventions in Beirut affect pedestrian trips is finally out in Cities today. In summer 2022, we convened a participatory design workshop at AUB in Beirut to generate design ideas for walkability improvements in the 2020 blast affected areas of downtown. We then developed a framework to model how each urban design scenario would affect pedestrian trip generation and trip distribution spatially, in the surrounding neighborhoods. The paper provides a first demonstration of how pedestrian impacts of urban design interventions can be spatially estimated–capturing both the impacts of land use changes (e.g. new buildings added) and street quality improvements (e.g. sidewalk widening). Such impact estimates provide planners a framework for understanding how site-specific design and development decisions can shape progress towards (or away from) non-motorized mobility goals in cities. Available in open access: https://lnkd.in/g-5yaeAz Maya Abou Zeid, Justin Kollar, AICP, @Aziz Alhassan, Rounaq Basu, Daniel Caesar Pratama, Jawad Haddad, Bahij Chancey, Dan Horner, Mustapha Madi, #cityformlab , #mitdusp, #mitlcau, #mitsap, #AUB

What design characteristics of a third place can help improve social health? How can we ensure that a focus on efficiency and cost savings does not crowd out the need to preserve and promote human connection? Such concerns are especially pertinent as loneliness and social isolation become more prevalent. This semi-structured literature review, written by Erin K. Peavey, offers guidelines to design spaces that combat loneliness and social isolation and foster social capital and community. It is aimed at architects, designers, city planners, and policy makers. "Perhaps the most foundational attribute of a good third place is that it is accessible to those who can use it. The best versions foster a sense of ownership and become regular parts of people’s lives. This requires safe, convenient, affordable, and comfortable access to the place. For children, this means they can gather, play, and explore with some independence from parents as developmentally appropriate. For senior adults or people with disabilities, this means that there are easy physical access options, benches to rest, and spaces to shelter them from the elements. For all ages, the ideal is a space that is within walking distance from home, work, or school. Humans evolved to navigate our worlds on our feet, and much research has shown the benefits of physical activity on the health of our minds and bodies, and the role of walkable streets, neighborhoods, and cities in fostering wellbeing." Placemaking Education PlacemakingX Ofri Earon Ethan Kent HKS, Inc. Julianne Holt-Lunstad #loneliness #isolation #urbandesign #communityhealth #relationships #socialcapital https://lnkd.in/esT-BjEP

It’s great to see local leaders across the U.S. talk about increasing walkability. But, as this piece from Strong Towns helps show, to create meaningful improvement, they really have to mean it.  It’s one thing to widen a few sidewalks or allow restaurants to maintain outdoor dining areas at the expense of parking spaces. But creating truly connected urban and suburban networks, allowing pedestrians to get from Point A to Point B in a safe way, is a much bigger challenge. It requires systems thinking. And if municipalities take only half measures, it can be outright dangerous. True walkability requires changes that: 🚶🏿♂️Give pedestrians a reasonable amount of time to cross the street. 🚶🏽♀️Encourage law enforcement to stop pedestrian-dangerous behaviors like running red lights. 🚶Simply get people out walking, because as walking becomes more commonplace, drivers notice and adjust. Is walkability worth it? Well, thanks to communities like the ones Culdesac is developing, we know that people will pay a premium for walkability. There are obvious health  benefits for a population that walks more, and environmental benefits, too. Finally, if it’s just too difficult to make a community truly walkable, there’s a good fallback: bikeability. Like walkability improvements, affordable bike-sharing programs, dedicated bike lanes and bike parking facilities all make a city easier to navigate for everyone — and help elevate the well-being of its everyday citizens. It's one thing to say something, but it’s a different thing to mean it. cc: Calvin Gladney, LEED AP, Charles Marohn, Rodney Harrell, PhD, Smart Growth America, AARP