Life in the Slow Lane

After decades of building for speed, cities are rediscovering the virtues of slow: walking, biking and streetcars are taking over from freeways.

1 minute read

December 19, 2011, 10:00 AM PST

By Michael Dudley


Will Doig writing at Salon, considers how deliberately slowing down urban movement brings social, economic and psychological benefits.

"For generations, velocity has defined the urban experience: screeching subways, maniacal taxis, hustling crowds. Life in the fast lane.

But look around...and you might notice that a lot of the new ideas seeping into cities are aimed not at making them faster, but slowing them down. The buzziest mode of transport now is a bicycle. Streetcars, a pokey throwback, are returning. Walkable neighborhoods, traffic-calming measures and "slow zones" are catching on, and freeways are being torn down and replaced with lower-speed boulevards. Even things like sit-down pedestrian plazas and pop-up cafes seem to indicate a desire to slacken the pace.

But the slow-city movement isn't just about cars, nor is it always about safety. There's a growing sense that getting around - even if it is slower - can become a joy in itself."

Saturday, December 17, 2011 in Salon.com

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