|
Cities try 'traffic calming' to revive communities
May 30, 1997
Web posted at: 5:49 p.m. EDT (2149 GMT)
An expanded Web version of segments seen on CNN
SAN BERNARDINO, California (CNN) -- Hurried commuters used to whiz through downtown San Bernardino, cutting through side roads and the main arterial as if in a high-speed road race. But now, the speed racers are gone and shoppers stroll through the bustling and vibrant district.
And throughout the nation, city planners are adopting similar traffic plans aimed at transforming clogged roads into enjoyable shopping areas and traffic-free neighborhoods.
Traffic engineer Walter Kulash is a leading advocate of so-called traffic calming. He says about 300 U.S. cities have embraced the changes and more plan to adopt the traffic plans soon.
"I think there is a rapidly rising realization that our streets really ought to be for something else besides moving as much traffic as fast as possible -- and that is all we did for years as traffic engineers," Kulash said.
(128 K/12 sec. AIFF or WAV sound)
Added Ann Harris, another advocate of traffic calming: "We want people to slow down. We want to have people to stop at stop lights, to stop for people at a light."
Teeming with activity
In San Bernardino, about 55 miles east of Los Angeles, the city spent $11 million to revitalize downtown, which had become an arterial thoroughfare in the 1960s and 1970s.
The main four-lane road was chopped down to two lanes. The extra lanes were converted to diagonal parking spaces, and a large parking lot was turned into a community center. Beautiful landscaping and additional street lights were added.
The end result is a downtown teeming with activity among the city's more than 150,000 residents.
"I have noticed that people aren't afraid to come downtown and spend time down here," said Victor Gavalas, a store manager in San Bernardino.
The scene is similar in Florida capital Tallahassee, where traffic has been calmed. Traffic now flows at speeds of about 5 mph to 9 mph less than it used to and pedestrians roam downtown freely.
(672 K/16 sec. Traffic improvement in Tallahassee (QuickTime movie)
"It makes downtown a destination rather than a thoroughfare," said Marilyn Larson of the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority.
----------- DeLorme Web site Zone in on U.S. cities without snarling traffic in downtown. http://www.delorme.com/
Check out what's coming up
on next week's Tomorrow/Today
Related stories:
- HOV spells commuting in the fast lane - December 24, 1996
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
- San Bernardino California, City of San Bernardino, CA., Facts and Information
- County of San Bernardino
- VISITOR INFORMATION
- Tallahassee Online
- Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Tallahassee, Florida
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
Sound off on our message boards
Tell us what you think!
You said it...
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.