Pop-up Infrastructure Makes a Street Green and Complete

Imagine converting a downtown street into a bicycle, people, and eco-friendly one - for just one week, by a crack team of urban design graduate students. Such an undertaking was done by Kent State U.'s urban design collaborative. Watch and learn!

1 minute read

June 8, 2012, 5:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


The video below describing the one-week conversion of Rockwell Ave using "pop-up cycling infrastructure" is narrated by:

  • David Jurca, Kent State's Urban Design instructor, who describes the overall project;
  • Jenita McGowan, Cleveland Sustainability Chief, who defines a complete street as well as a green one;
  • Rachel Webb, Regional Sewer District, on green streets;
  • Robert Mason of U.S. Homeland Security who discusses crime prevention through environmental design, aka CPTED, bringing an important dimension to streets - "does it feel safe" (for a pedestrian);
  • Marty Cader, Cleveland's Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, who provides the background of Cleveland's transportation infrastructure and the suitability of Rockwell Street and and the one-week trial;
  • Jennifer Coleman, Cleveland Landmark Commissions Chair, who describes how the project has brought more life to the street; and
  • a Bike Cleveland spokesman who advocates for permanent solutions that the trial demonstrated.

Jurca suggests that future pop-up projects last longer than one week in order to get better feedback from the public.

Thanks to Streetsblog

Monday, June 4, 2012 in Streetsblog Network

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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