A key point to me is that this is not pedestrianisation, but the road is traffic free as it is not a part of a through route. I also note the grade separation between road and pavement, vital for visually impaired people. In the UK they would have flattened this space into some sort of Frankenstein shared space then wondered why it was not working. Interesting to note that even in the Netherlands there is a problem with parking.
Retailers in the Utrecht shopping street Oudkerkhof are very pleased with how their street was reconstructed. Some seem to think it was done at their request. But this transformation was part of a much larger program that runs for years. It is meant to upgrade the city centre of Utrecht by making it less accessible for motor traffic and much more attractive for people walking and cycling.
Oudkerkhof after the reconstruction. The roadway is slightly wider than before. This makes cycling possible in both directions. The sidewalk became wider too, because 16 of the 24 parking spaces were removed.
Oudkerkhof in 1976. The banner says it is “young and very much alive” but it had parking on both sides and really narrow side walks at the time. Not at all what the Dutch perceive as livable today. Picture Utrechts Archief.
The cause for the reconstruction can be traced as…
View original post 1,372 more words
