Project for public spaces

http://www.pps.org/blog/shared-space-and-slow-zones-comparing-public-space-in-paris-and-new-york/

Besides the goal of facilitating active transportation, the city of Paris is ambitiously creating and
expanding shared spaces as streets that do more than just circulate traffic. These are spaces
where you can experience the urban environment.
During its last years at the head of the city, the municipal government under Bertrand Delano
had initiated 36 shared spaces. An ambitious and recent speed up in this development since
2013 reveals a stronger and larger interest in changing Paris streets. Between 2008 (creation of
the shared space legal status in France) and 2012, 13 shared spaces had been implemented in
Paris whereas since 2013, a street-sharing action plan has created 23 new shared spaces in
addition to the existing ones.
Here at Project for Public Spaces, we believe that there is no pure shared space but theory and
practice create a continuum of streets and public spaces which help emphasize the role of active
transportation and street activities. In the case of Paris, shared spaces are described as streets
opened to any modes of transportation under a 12 miles per hour speed limit where pedestrians
have priority over all other users. Pedestrians can walk through the street (though cannot
stand) and bicyclists benefit from the new street rights at crossroads and in one-way streets. The
absence of formal infrastructure is characteristic of those shared street redesigns in Paris. No
costly investment is needed; the city improves pathways and sidewalks to make them
continuous and smooth and adds creative road marks and signs. Only in some areas generally
located adjacent to larger urban renewal projects demarcation between former single user-
dedicated spaces is removed and black asphalt is replaced with new materials.
However, economic constraints are definitely an issue for public budgets nowadays in France.
As a consequence, Paris is working on new strategies to make the streets more shareable with no
significant investment in infrastructure. The city is experimenting with five kinds of crosswalk
markings at the entrances and within Paris shared spaces. Displayed in different neighborhoods,
Paris is meanwhile conducting an online survey to ask Parisians the type of crossroad they
consider most efficient to help change mobility practices and behaviors. The citys intention is to
progressively change the atmosphere of those shared spaces to make the street more welcoming
to pedestrians, even when walking in the middle of the pavement.

Paris creates shared spaces in diverse areas, from touristic, commercial, and cultural places
welcoming daily pedestrian crowds to more residential neighborhoods where sidewalks are too
small and pedestrians are often forced to walk on the pavement. Shared spaces are usually
located among 20 miles per hour areas which are covering more and more Paris neighborhoods.
In the first case, the shared spaces mainly regulate and formalize pedestrian and bicyclist
practices already in place (jaywalkers are not a concern anymore as people are allowed to move
throughout the street as they wish). The medieval construction of Paris streets has historically
made a large number of narrow and sinuous streets function like shared spaces for ages. In the
second type of space, traffic safety is the main reason to implement a shared space. However,
the absence of infrastructure construction to redesign the street is lacking the means to fully
calm down car traffic. As car drivers see only 10%[6] of road signs because of the profusion of
information in dense areas, it seems that Paris is need of finding new means to improve those
places visibility and change drivers behavior with its experimentation of new crosswalk
markings.
However, the historic streetscape of Paris and the lack of efficiency of some existing shared
spaces located on dangerous streets make us reconsider what part of the 37% of Paris streets
under a speed limit of 20 miles per hour have really been improved by the recent projects. It
would be prudent to quantify how shared spaces in Paris have really improved the existing
streets for pedestrians.






There is no agreed denition of shared space. Some writers
have described it as a design approach (or philosophy: Shared
Space, 2011). The recent UK Government guidance follows
advocates such as Hamilton-Baillie in dening shared space
aspirationally
A street or place designed to improve pedestrian movement and
comfort by reducing the dominance of motor vehicles and enabling all
users to share the space rather than follow the clearly dened rules
implied by more conventional designs.
(DfT, 2011: p. 6)

Spatiul partajat ca si concept a fost inventat de inginerul de traffic olandez Hans Monderman si Institutul
Keuning. Scopul principal era reducerea numaruluid e accidente si decongestionarea traficului. Nu
existau asteptari cu privinta la impartirea modala. Trebuie luat ins eama cca orasele olandeze au fost
primele in care schemele de spatii partajate au fost implementate.
"We're losing our capacity for socially responsible behaviour...The greater the
number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility
dwindles." (Der Spiegel quotes Monderman)
[9]

Hans Monderman suggests that an individuals' behaviour in traffic is more
positively affected by the built environmentof the public space than by
conventional traffic control devices and regulations.
[1][7][8]
"When you don't exactly know who has right of way, you tend to seek eye
contact with other road users. You automatically reduce your speed, you have
contact with other people and you take greater care."
[10]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space#Germany


Principiul de baza pentru sh. Sp este integrarea.

Shared space:
A street or place designed to improve pedestrian movement and comfort by
reducing the dominance of motor vehicles and enabling allusers to share
the space rather than follow the clearly defined rules implied by more
conventional designs
Shared space streets are essentially areas where the balance has been redressed in avour o the
place unction, although not necessarily at the expense o movement.Indeed, it is important that the
movement unction is retained i the street is to betruly shared. The movement unction could even be
enhanced i the implementationo shared space results in less delay to drivers.
Manual or Streets Shared space streets are essentially areas where the balance has been
redressed in avour o the place unction, although not necessarily at the expense o
movement.Indeed, it is important that the movement unction is retained i the street is to betruly shared.
The movement unction could even be enhanced i the implementationo shared space results in
less delay to drivers.
Manual or Streets 2 Wider Application o the Principles
(CIHT, 2010) develops the place/movement conceptand emphasises how context in luences the
balance to be achieved.
2.4
Shared space does not represent a particular type o street. It is more a broad set o design
approaches aimed at encouraging sharing as a way o improving the streetsplace unction. It can
achieve this, in part, through minimal use o tra ic signs andother tra ic management related
street urniture. Tra ic signals are o ten removed,with indications o priority at minor junctions
omitted. These changes modi y theway the street operates by creating an environment that
encourages drivers,pedestrians and cyclists to behave in a more co-operative manner.
2.5

Shared space challenges the assumption that segregating pedestrians and vehiclesby high levels o
demarcation improves sa ety. Available evidence indicates acomparable number o casualties in
shared space streets and conventional streets.This is despite the act that some o the schemes
studied experienced increaseduse by pedestrians and cyclists a ter conversion to shared space. At its
simplest,reducing demarcation might mean removing guardrailing. At the other end o thescale would be
the implementation o a level sur ace, where conventional kerbs areomitted and pedestrians share an
undi erentiated sur ace with vehicles.
2.6
Shared space is o ten applicable where the buildings ronting the street have astrong heritage or
cultural signi icance. It is particularly suitable where the quantityand type o surrounding land-use
generates a high level o pedestrian demand oruses other than simply movement through the space.
Shared space can also beappropriate at junctions or squares, where pedestrian desire lines are more
diverse.Such settings, where streets come together, can provide good opportunities orcreating distinct
ocal points.
2.7
Shared space should not be pursued or its own sake. Improving pedestrianmovement and com ort,
as well as creating vibrant spaces, or example, are likely tobe primary objectives, and a high level o
sharing should only be considered anobjective in its own right i it contributes to these higher-order ones.

Local Transport Note Department of Transport Shared Spaces