Context-sensitive design of urban thoroughfares is gaining support among mainstream transportation specialists.
The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) have assembled a joint steering committee to promote Context-Sensitive Design for Major Urban Thoroughfares. Despite these common interests, creating road design standards that are acceptable to both the new urbanist and engineering communities is no small feat. The widely used design manual of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is primarily concerned with the efficient, safe, and fast movement of cars and trucks. Traditional urban design assigns a more complex role to roads, insisting that they serve pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders as well as drivers, and that they help create an urban sense of place.
Thanks to Zvi Leve
FULL STORY: Building Better Urban Thoroughfares

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