The pandemic changed how we interact with the built environment

Open streets and shifting mobility patterns may guide future city planning

Bike- and pedestrian-friendly streets are few and far between in cities like Los Angeles. In a post-COVID world, communities such as Downtown Culver City hope to change that. But will active mobility retain its quarantine-era momentum?

CITIZENS OF THE PLANET/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP EDITORIAL VIA GETTY IMAGES

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During the early days of the pandemic, quarantine measures left many yearning to fill the void of disrupted routines and lost social connections. Some passed the time cultivating sourdough starters and doomscrolling through never-ending news feed. Others ventured from the perceived safety of their homes to break from the confines of isolating thoughts and spaces and find solace in the outdoors.

In the spring and summer of 2020, pedestrians and cyclists ruled the streets of cities across the United States and abroad. Recreational facility closures and concerns over the health risk of public transportation fueled demand for socially-distanced recreation, one indicator being a dramatic surge in the sale of bicycles. As businesses screeched to an abrupt stop and fewer people commuted to work, individuals and local municipalities alike took advantage of empty streets to reimagine the public right-of-way, providing planning lessons for a post-COVID world.

In response to increased foot and bike traffic, cities swiftly introduced street intervention programs such as Slow Streets LA and temporary infrastructure to support safe active mobility (i.e., biking and walking), defying car-centric design principles on an exceptionally short time scale.

Research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill finds that in mid-2020, the most frequent public-sector mobility responses to COVID-19 were complete or partial street closures and the reallocation of some lanes away from car transport to active travel and recreation. During this time, cities also adapted their streets to encourage al fresco dining and provide better access to public green spaces.

“Those roadways have been in the public domain the whole time,” says Ryan Miller, professor of geography and urban planning at the University of California, Davis. “During COVID, we’ve realized that we have a say in how these spaces are used.”

Over the past two years, the pandemic exposed not just a desire on the part of city dwellers but a dire need to create more bike- and pedestrian-friendly spaces for the benefit of environmental and human health as well as overall city functionality.

According to the UN, cities are responsible for nearly 70 percent of global carbon emissions, much of which can be attributed to car culture in urban areas. As such, shifting from automobile travel to active forms of transport is essential to tackling the climate crisis.

Furthermore, redesigning streets to promote foot and bike traffic facilitates access to public spaces and basic services without a car. In addition to bolstering physical and mental well-being, increasing urban connectivity and the viability of “human-powered” travel enhances the appeal of city living and fosters a sense of community.

However, despite the benefits of supporting alternative transport, the question is whether pandemic-era street alterations are here to stay. Now that businesses have rebounded and a sense of normalcy has returned to society at large, the automobile is reasserting its dominance, challenging the ability of many cities to continue reserving parking lots and extending sidewalks for other uses.

In some cities, partial street closures and extended bike lanes will become a permanent fixture, often building off pre-pandemic plans to improve mobility, such as the MOVE Culver City project in Los Angeles. And although more often than not, street alterations are only temporary, there is still overwhelming public support to keep them in place. In California, for example, the governor has already signed legislation that would make it easier to implement future slow street programs.

Moving forward, temporary changes to the public right-of-way can serve as a model for future permanent changes to street design. Any large-scale infrastructural transformation requires considerable time and money, meaning most changes during the pandemic are more suitable as a fast and cheap testing ground than a final solution. As such, city planners can learn from what did and didn’t work before committing significant public resources.

Another consideration will be the equitable distribution of such spaces throughout the urban environment, not just in the wealthiest areas. “We’ll need to find ways to change the built environment to impact the most vulnerable,” notes Miller, which will require cities to ensure adequate access to safe walking and biking infrastructure in all communities.

Academic Citations

Combs, T. S., & Pardo, C. F. (2021). Shifting streets COVID-19 mobility data: Findings from a global dataset and a research agenda for transport planning and policy. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 9, 100322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2021.100322