1) Traffic engineers often design streets primarily for the movement of vehicles, prioritizing elements like traffic flow and safety. This squeezes out space for other uses like walking and cycling. 2) Designing streets primarily for vehicles can have negative health impacts by discouraging physical activity and contributing to sedentary lifestyles. 3) Successful street design considers streets as places for exchange and activity rather than just links for movement. It prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists and public transport over private vehicles.

1. Steven Burgess, MRCagney
AITPM, July, 2015
sburgess@mrcagney.com
@burgess_steven
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2. 2

3. Are traffic
engineers the
problem?
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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.
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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.
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6. Land Use has a big
influence on streets.
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7. Designing a
street as a road
squeezes out
active transport
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8. 8

9. 9

10. We cant deal with
it the same way.
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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?
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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.
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14. Do we respect the
devastating impact
that designing for
cars has on our
health?
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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?
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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!
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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.
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19. The hierarchy illustrates
the priority of
consideration for each use
in a street:
pedestrians
cyclists
public transport users
motorists.
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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
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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.
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22. Mix of residential,
commercial and
retail;
Occasional services
and community uses;
Wide variety of uses;
Must retain some
residential amenity.
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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
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24. Main Street Mixed Use Street Living Street
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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.
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27. Pedestrian
friendly
Bicycle friendly
Bus friendly
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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…
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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
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