Throughout North America's auto-oriented suburbs, front-facing garages are a common feature of home design. According to Brent Toderian, that design decision has a significant impact on speeding and the quality of neighborhoods.
"In suburbs all over North America, front garages are causing ripple effects that change the design and nature of our neighbourhoods in many ways that we don't initially realize," argues Toderian. By preventing on-street parking, and leaving extra-wide driving lanes, garages and driveways induce higher design speeds.
The impacts extend to the design and enjoyment of our neighborhoods as well, continues Toderian. "There likely isn't a sidewalk anyway. The curb cut usually replaces that, as well as the landscape strips, and street trees. Add to these losses the absence of on-street parking, which can be valuable as a buffer to separate pedestrians from moving cars, and you have a significant impact on the walkability of the neighbourhood."
Toderian suggests rear lanes as the best option for increasing safety and sociability.
FULL STORY: How Your Garage Affects Speeding, Design In Your Neighbourhood
Reimagining a Major Philly Street for People, Not Cars
The Ben Franklin Parkway was originally designed as a bucolic escape from the city. It could be that way again.
Safe Streets Ballot Measure Runs Into Unexpected Opposition
Los Angeles's Measure HLA would compel the city to make serious upgrades for walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation, all in the name of saving lives. Its biggest opponent: the firefighters union.
Busting a Common Myth About Speeding
Drivers sometimes defend speeding by arguing that it is safe as long as other drivers are also speeding. This argument only makes sense in the context of a limited-access highway.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
