Since, we’ve been talking about “road diets” lately with Louisville’s latest project moving forward on Brownsboro Road, it’s worth taking a moment to check out this new Streetfilms video where walkability expert Dan Burden takes us on a tour of road diets from coast to coast. (I even caught a glimpse of Louisville’s Eastern Parkway road diet in the opening photo-sequence!)
Here’s a little information on road diets from StreetFilms:
The first time people hear about a road diet, their initial reaction likely goes something like this: “How can removing lanes improve my neighborhood and not cause traffic backups?” It seems counterintuitive, but taking away lanes can actually help traffic flow smoother while improving safety for everyone.
Road diets are good for pedestrians: They reduce speeding and make vehicle movements more predictable while shortening crossing distances, usually through curb extensions or center median islands. They’re good for cyclists: Many road diets shift space from car lanes to create bike lanes. They’re good for drivers: Less speeding improves safety for motorists and passengers, and providing left-turn pockets allows through traffic to proceed without shifting lanes or waiting behind turning vehicles.
Courtesy Streetfilms.
