OP-ED
As the pandemic pushes more people outside, flexible street space is a public health necessity
M
ore and more, residents and advocates are calling for a rethinking of street space—that is, streets that accommodate not just vehicular traffic but several kinds of uses equally. This demand is rising as residents turn to cycling and walking to mitigate climate change and as we see a surge in package deliveries with the rise of Amazon and other online retailers. In some city neighborhoods, streets see little vehicular traffic and yet remain off-limits to the residents and businesses that could use them for dining and concerts, among other purposes. This demand is rising as the pandemic pushes more people outdoors. Flexible street space is no longer a luxury—it’s a public health necessity. But making street space more community-friendly is hard work. Street spaces need to accommodate pedestrians, personal vehicles, buses, delivery vehicles and outdoor diners. They need to be
fully accessible to people with disabilities. (Consider New York’s Pedestrian Ramp program, which required $1.6 billion to increase accessibility.)
Who controls the streets? Environmental factors also come into play. In New York, for example, the streets are home to roughly 25% of the city’s urban tree canopy. Infrastructure factors exist as well: the electrical and sewer wires and pipes that exist beneath the asphalt. Who controls decisions about the streets can be confusing. The city Department of Transportation is in charge of city streets, but the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in charge of operating buses. This means that changes to bus routes and bus stops require extensive coordination between the two entities—there’s no single decision-maker. What’s more, despite the vital need to be more creative with streets, many municipalities still bristle at the idea. Policymakers
and others in the community might fear that more flexible street space will mean fewer places for shoppers to park—and thus less parking revenue for the city. Perhaps adding that new bus lane would inadvertently disrupt cyclists on the road–or that new outdoor dining space could slow bus traffic. Other common worries include the sustainability and long-term costs of revamping street space or the jurisdictional challenges involved such as navigating a public-private partnership between the city and the local businesses that would use the reimagined street space.
A fantastic start While these concerns are legitimate, the return on investment on recalibrating streets to be more community-friendly will be high. Businesses can expand beyond their front door, adding momentum to the local economy. More outdoor spaces mean a safer environment amid the pandemic and a
BLOOMBERG
BY CELESTE FRYE
healthier population. Artists can display their work in more public places, fueling local culture. The city DOT’s Open Streets program opens up space for art and concerts and for sitting, walking and playing. It does these things by temporarily closing designated streets to vehicular traffic. It's a fantastic start.
Still, there’s more to be done. New York must continue to evaluate spaces and how people use them— and whether these uses can be improved. It will quickly find there’s room, and a will, for improvement.■ Celeste Frye is co-founder and CEO of Public Works Partners.
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