Brave New City | Take a Walk

Universal Street Block | 2012 | Metropolis Magazine October Issue

What is an urban streetscape that is accessible by all? It is an expressway that allows people to get to their destination, a promenade for travelers to wander, a playground for children to explore, a social place for friends to gather, and an easy path for the elderly and people with disabilities to navigate. An accessible urban street responds to and enhances the values, lifestyles, and natural environment of its community, while accommodating a broad spectrum of people regardless of their age, physical ability, or situation in life. Accessible streetscapes provide the framework supporting pedestrian oriented public space while accommodating the distribution and access to all means of transportation. Urban streetscapes form the public realm of a community and need to be designed with everyone in mind. By employing current technology combined with simple design measures urban streetscapes could be safer and more accessible for everyone.