The only book of its kind to provide an overview of sustainable street design Today, society is moving toward a more sustainable way of life, with cities everywhere aspiring to become high-quality places to live, work, and play. Streets are fundamental to this shift. They define our system of movement, create connections between places, and offer opportunities to reconnect to natural systems. There is an increasing realization that the right-of-way is a critical and under-recognized resource for transformation, with new models being tested to create a better public realm, support balanced transportation options, and provide sustainable solutions for stormwater and landscaping. Living Streets provides practical guidance on the complete street approach to sustainable and community-minded street use and design. Written by an interdisciplinary team of authors, the book brings insights and experience from urban planning, transportation planning, and civil engineering perspectives. It includes examples from many completed street design projects from around the world, an overview of the design and policy tools that have been successful, and guidance to help get past the predictable obstacles to implementation: Who makes decisions in the right-of-way? Who takes responsibility? How can regulations be changed to allow better use of the right-of-way? Living Streets informs you of the benefits of creating streets that are healthier, more pleasant parts of life: Thoughtful planning of the location, uses, and textures of the spaces in which we live encourages people to use public space more often, be more active, and possibly live healthier lives. A walkable community makes life easier and more pleasant for everyone, especially for vulnerable populations within the larger community whose transportation limitations reduce access to jobs, healthy food, health care, recreation, and social interaction. Streets present opportunities to improve the natural environment while adding to neighborhood character, offering beauty, providing shade, and improving air quality. If you're an urban planner, designer, transportation engineer, or civil engineer, Living Streets is the ultimate guide for the creation of more humane streetscapes that connect neighborhoods and inspire people.

The only book of its kind to provide an overview ofsustainable street designToday, society is moving toward a more sustainable way of lifewith cities everywhere aspiring to become high-quality places tolive, work, and play. Streets are fundamental to this shift. Theydefine our system of movement, create connections between placesand offer opportunities to reconnect to natural systems. There isan increasing realization that the right-of-way is a critical andunder-recognized resource for transformation, with new models beingtested to create a better public realm, support balancedtransportation options, and provide sustainable solutions forstormwater and landscaping.Living Streets provides practical guidance on thecomplete street approach to sustainable and community-minded streetuse and design. Written by an interdisciplinary team of authorsthe book brings insights and experience from urban planningtransportation planning, and civil engineering perspectives. Itincludes examples from many completed street design projects fromaround the world, an overview of the design and policy tools thathave been successful, and guidance to help get past the predictableobstacles to implementation: Who makes decisions in theright-of-way? Who takes responsibility? How can regulations bechanged to allow better use of the right-of-way?Living Streets informs you of the benefits of creatingstreets that are healthier, more pleasant parts of life:* Thoughtful planning of the location, uses, and textures of thespaces in which we live encourages people to use public space moreoften, be more active, and possibly live healthier lives.* A walkable community makes life easier and more pleasant foreveryone, especially for vulnerable populations within the largercommunity whose transportation limitations reduce access to jobshealthy food, health care, recreation, and social interaction.* Streets present opportunities to improve the naturalenvironment while adding to neighborhood character, offeringbeauty, providing shade, and improving air quality.If you're an urban planner, designer, transportation engineeror civil engineer, Living Streets is the ultimate guide forthe creation of more humane streetscapes that connect neighborhoodsand inspire people.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiOVERVIEW xiiiChapter 1 PLACEMAKING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY 1The Function of Places 2Why Invest in a Quality Public Realm? 4Placemaking and Design 5Encouraging the Use of Public Space 11Reclaiming Right-of-Way for Public Places 14Considering All the Elements in the Right-of-Way 21Chapter 2 MOBILITY 23Connecting People to Places 24Why Have Walkable, Bikeable Communities? 25The Size and Shape of Movement 26The Pace of Movement 34A Shift in Thinking 35Chapter 3 NATURAL SYSTEMS 39Reconnecting Cities to Nature 40Urban Biodiversity 41Natural Systems and Opportunities in the Right-of-Way 42Why Reconnect Nature and the City? 49Chapter 4 ELEMENTS 51Places to Move Through 52Materials 58Intersections 59Bicycle Facilities 61Signage 68Street Furniture 70Street Trees and Landscaping 74Swales and Rain Gardens 74Curbs, Gutters, and Alternatives 77Parking 79Chapter 5 INFLUENCES 83Considering Context 84Policy Foundation--Policies That Infl uence Street Design87Codes, Guidelines, and Standards 93Reality Factors 99Chapter 6 TYPOLOGIES 113Typologies Overview 113Residential Streets 115Green Streets 123Alleys 139Main Streets 154Thoroughfares 171Shared-Use Streets 182Festival Streets 193Chapter 7 CASE STUDIES 207Mint Plaza 208Nord Alley 217Central Annapolis Road 22578th Avenue SE Shared Use 235High Point 243Barracks Row 255New York City 263Terry Avenue North 271Chapter 8 WHAT'S NEXT 285Biophilic Cities: More Nature in the City 286New Technologies 287Building the Dream 290Conclusions 296RESOURCES 301INDEX 311