<
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-11-28/the-case-for-daylighting-the-cheap-traffic-safety-fix-that-cities-need>
"After a string of tragic traffic fatalities, a community board in Queens, New
York, endorsed a call in June for city officials to make all intersections more
visible to road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Then, in October, a
board’s transportation committee in Brooklyn did the same. In the weeks since,
full boards in Brooklyn and Queens joined the pack. Several boards in Manhattan
are considering it as well.
The non-binding resolution is noticeably rare for community boards.
Historically, the citizen-led bodies — which play an advisory role but are
often looked to as local gauges of support — have been slow to support
safety-minded street redesigns, favoring car parking over measures like bike
lanes or road diets. But recently, things have changed, said Paul Kelterborn,
an author of the resolution in Brooklyn’s Community Board 1, which represents
Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
“We get emails about close calls all the time, and there are regular crashes
here,” said Kelterborn, who has served on the board for three years. “But we’re
so slow to even acknowledge what’s happening. We’re designing streets for the
past, not for what we’re currently seeing or trends that we can anticipate.
This just seemed like such a common sense, sensible action the city could
take.”
That action is called daylighting, a process that pays close attention to the
schematics of the street where most crashes occur: the corners of crossings.
The idea is that if intersections are clear of obstructions like parked cars —
or “brighter,” to follow the expression — then drivers, pedestrians and
cyclists would all be able to see one another better. Better sightlines, less
likelihood of crashes, the formula goes.
Daylighting can take many forms. Curb extensions, painted or built out with
concrete, and sometimes with rain-absorbing plantings, are often cited.
Curbside cycling amenities, like bikeshare docks or racks for micromobility
vehicles like e-scooters, are increasingly common. Outdoor dining sheds can
help with daylighting, too. Others use granite blocks or giant concrete balls.
Even affixing a “no parking past this point” notice to a stop sign can help."
Via
Reasons to be Cheerful:
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/what-we-are-reading-vienna-affordable-housing-conscious-travel/>
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
