Function Over Geometry

This aerial view of part of Brasilia, Brazil's capital city, shows the paths of where people have crossed highways and literally made the road by walking.

1 minute read

November 25, 2009, 6:00 AM PST

By Alek Miller


"Although it's hard to prove conclusively, it looks like safety concerns played a part in determining where the highways were crossed. Several paths seem to converge at points where on-ramps and off-ramps are separated from the main flow of traffic. Crossing at these points allows the pedestrian to have breaks of median before having to make the next step. It looks as if some people have been willing to sacrifice a certain degree of time in order to cross a little more safely at one of these points."

Thanks to Streetsblog

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