be NICE to pedestrians & cyclists

2009-05-14T19:24:00.011+10:00

"Go 'naked' - and we'll all be living on easy street" (smh article by Andrew West)

Very catchy headings indeed! Generally, this article talks about how the City of Sydney council is proposing for a more pedestrian friendly streets around Sydney CBD by:

Limiting the vehicular speed to 10kmh,
Placing street furniture in layout that discourages the drivers to use it,
Making the streets appear similar to pedestrian walkway to emphasise the equality of street usage by pedestrians, car users and cyclists.

The streets affected include:

1. Pitt & Castlereagh
2. O'Connell, Philip, Loftus, Bent (northern end)
3. Hay, Harbour, Sussex, Eddy Av. (southern end)

The model of 'Woonerf' (left) is the traffic calming strategy widely used in Netherlands similar to what the City of Sydney council is proposing for the aforementioned streets. More information on 'woonerf' can be read from http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pedbike/pubs/05085/chapt20.htm

With the concept of "naked streets" being realised, what would we be expecting...

congestion in other part of the streets to get worse, folowed by possibly further noise pollution due to the car horns,
bus network has to be reconfigured - imagine the bus travelling at the speed of 10kmh through the affected areas,
"hooray!!!" for the pedestrians and cyclists because they either co-own or dominate the street usage.

The full article on "Go 'naked'..." can be referred at http://www.smh.com.au/national/go-naked--and-well-all-be-living-on-easy-street-20090513-b3e1.html

RaymondTEO

be NICE to pedestrians & cyclists