| Description |
The unlivable urban arterial remains one of the unsolved urban design challenges of early 21st Century America. Currently, most urban arterials pose safety problems for users, lack comfort, and ignore local character. Instead, the urban arterial is designed for the efficient movement of motorized vehicles through the city and to connect places within the region. The auto-centric focus has left pedestrians and cyclists as an afterthought in the design process, and as a result, the inhospitable environment of these arterials has contaminated surrounding areas. In order to accommodate for higher traveling speeds, arterials avoid, or limit, design elements that would inhibit traffic flows and level of service, including landscaping features, streetside parking, lane narrowing, and more. |
