Page 20 - Nov/Dec Vol34 No5

2016 CONFERENCE TECHNICAL SESSION STATEWIDE
Resources Hidden In Plain Sight
In the pursuit of economic develop-
ment, cities can look to one particular
resource that is hidden in plain sight. But
first, why are companies and individu-
als alike choosing to live, work, and play
in areas with better quality of place over
those with tax breaks and subsidies? Mil-
lennials, those currently between the age
of 19 and 35, are now the largest gen-
eration in the American workforce. The
majority of this group prefers mixed-use
neighborhoods with many nearby options
for shopping, restaurants, and recreation
and are most likely to commute by walk-
ing, public transportation, or biking.
The desire for these walkable, more
environmentally-friendly neighborhoods,
which are common to urban centers,
goes so far as to influence Millennials’
job searches. According to Smart Growth
America’s publication “Core Values: Why
American Companies are Moving Down-
town,” companies are choosing to move to
walkable neighborhoods where people can
live, work, and play that are also accessible
by various methods of transportation and
have safe and clean streets.
However, these desires apply to more
than just this one generation. In the effort
to attract a new generation of employees
in industries such as software develop-
ment, biotechnology, and engineering,
companies are finding mid-career and
senior employees were also open to the
move and enjoyed their new locations.
In general, people are pursuing health
and happiness that go hand-in-hand with
quality of place.
So, what key resource can promote
this type of live, work, and play envi-
ronment? The answer is surprisingly
simple — streets. In conjunction with less
strict policies on activities, vending, and
performances, enjoyable activities and
destinations help to attract diverse groups,
cultivating more activities and leading
to more people enjoying the space. As
the great American urbanist William H.
Whyte said, “What attracts people most, it
would appear, is other people.” To support
this concept, a street should allow for the
overflow of indoor activities into its space
through outdoor cafes, sidewalk displays,
or special programs in order to connect
the places people enjoy so that people may
20 TPW November/December 2016
move freely and the street remains lively.
In the same way, successful streets
encourage lingering, much to the enjoy-
ment of individuals and to the benefit of
businesses as it engenders a social com-
munity and economic activity. Charles
Montgomery wisely states in his book
Happy City: Transforming Our Lives
through Urban Design, “Public life begins
when we slow down.” Additionally, Project
for Public Spaces believes a street’s success life, street design should be detailed, flex-
as a public space can be best measured by
how willing people are to linger along it.
Practical methods for encouraging linger-
ing are creating varied facades with many
openings, including multiple functions
per block, and performing triangulation
within the street. Triangulation, as termed
by Whyte, is the arranging of elements
such as a bench, lamppost, and street tree
in order to slow people down near each
other so that they may interact with each
other and feel the community that can be
found in a city street.
As part of a city’s hospitable environ-
ment, people and businesses desire streets
that are accessible to all. Easy acces-
sibility to walkers, transit riders, and
bikers makes a street both welcoming
and appealing to a diversity of people.
Pedestrians prefer wide, ADA compliant
sidewalks that incorporate amenities and
public space. Bicyclists prefer dedicated,
especially protected, bike lanes. Transit
riders prefer a dedicated bus lane with
high quality transit stops. Knowing what a
By Stephanie Livingston
community wants is vital in determining
the use of space within a successful street.
Danish architect and urban design consul-
tant Jan Gehl once said, “We found that if
you make more road space, you get more
cars. If you make more bike lanes, you get
more bikes. If you make more space for
people, you get more people and of course
then you get public life.”
In order to get more people and public
ible, and unique. From street layout and
architecture to landscaping, signage, and
sidewalk features, streets should have in-
numerable details that encourage explora-
tion and keep the experience interesting.
Flexible streets can be used for local
celebrations, shows, and markets. Such
details and variable uses are an opportu-
nity to demonstrate a community’s unique
culture, history, and assets through what
is displayed on the street and how the
space is used. In addition to landscaping,
signage, and sidewalk features, this can be
achieved through streetscaping elements
such as unique pavement materials or
paving patterns, public art, and wayfind-
ing.
While a street should be interactive
and social, it should also be safe. As a top
concern according to Mercer’s 2016 Qual-
ity of Living Rankings and the businesses
interviewed by Smart Growth America,
safety is vital to any successful place. In
streets, speeding cars pose the biggest
threat to safety, especially at intersections.