Living Streets (ePub)

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.