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One way streets are better, but you can also make it narrower and still have a two way street. It forces drivers to slow down and make room for upcoming cars. Such wide streets aren't comfy and safe for pedestrians to cross.
I'm not going to fault you for not being familiar with the street on which I lived for six years, but will you at least acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, there are good sound reasons for things being done the way they are?
Pine Street (shown in my previous link) is a two-way street with on-street parking on both sides. It is not particularly wide; wide enough for two cars to pass, but that's about it. Traffic isn't at all heavy on it, as it mostly serves as a residential street; so crossing the street is never a problem. And the sidewalks are plenty wide enough to handle the pedestrian demand.
If it were to be narrowed, it would either have to be made one-way with parking on both sides, or two-way with parking only on one side. If you make it one-way, then how will traffic going the other way get where it needs to go? Make the parallel street one way the other way? And if you take away a parking lane, where will the people who have lost their parking lanes park their cars? Maybe your answer is to get rid of their cars, but that's not what people have chosen. And this despite that fact that there are two parallel transit routes (one to the north, one to the south) that operate every 10 minutes or better throughout the entire day and late into the night. The transit is there, and is heavily used (or at least it was when I lived there); but people still want to have cars.
I'm not going to fault you for not being familiar with the street on which I lived for six years, but will you at least acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, there are good sound reasons for things being done the way they are?
Pine Street (shown in my previous link) is a two-way street with on-street parking on both sides. It is not particularly wide; wide enough for two cars to pass, but that's about it. Traffic isn't at all heavy on it, as it mostly serves as a residential street; so crossing the street is never a problem. And the sidewalks are plenty wide enough to handle the pedestrian demand.
If it were to be narrowed, it would either have to be made one-way with parking on both sides, or two-way with parking only on one side. If you make it one-way, then how will traffic going the other way get where it needs to go? Make the parallel street one way the other way? And if you take away a parking lane, where will the people who have lost their parking lanes park their cars? Maybe your answer is to get rid of their cars, but that's not what people have chosen. And this despite that fact that there are two parallel transit routes (one to the north, one to the south) that operate every 10 minutes or better throughout the entire day and late into the night. The transit is there, and is heavily used (or at least it was when I lived there); but people still want to have cars.
I am not going to fight over two way vs one way street. In my experience one way streets are safer for children playing on the street, but on the other hand you can also use road barriers and other traffic calming measures to achieve the same goal. Here in Germany a residential street is usually a "Spielstraße" (play street), where you are not allowed to drive faster than walking speed.
I am not going to fight over two way vs one way street. In my experience one way streets are safer for children playing on the street, but on the other hand you can also use road barriers and other traffic calming measures to achieve the same goal. Here in Germany a residential street is usually a "Spielstraße" (play street), where you are not allowed to drive faster than walking speed.
Some of these look like boarded up Army barracks, particularly the first one. I don't find these two story buildings particularly attractive.
And population density is needed to support a robust commercial area.
I always thought that NYC, especially Manhattan, was perfect for living and "growing up". Lots of people; lots of cultural institutions; lots of shopping; lots of places to go and do. And Central Park is generally only a few blocks away from most apartment buildings.
Some of these look like boarded up Army barracks, particularly the first one. I don't find these two story buildings particularly attractive.
And population density is needed to support a robust commercial area.
I always thought that NYC, especially Manhattan, was perfect for living and "growing up". Lots of people; lots of cultural institutions; lots of shopping; lots of places to go and do. And Central Park is generally only a few blocks away from most apartment buildings.
Many people, especially younger people prefer the clean and modern look of apartments like this.
You need to get over it, that architecture does no longer look like this here:
Back to the topic. Human scale neighborhoods are still being produced. The area of Cologne that I previously showed in Google Streetview is called Clouth Quarter. The quarter is on the former factory site of the former Clouth Gummiwerke AG.
Today I was there making some photos to get some impressions you can not see from the streets.
Some of the apartment complexes have nice and large shared backyards.
It is also very family friendly. I have seen plenty of children there, which I didn't want to photograph of course.
There are playgrounds everywhere and there is a nice park within the quarter.
I'm not a fan of the boxy architecture, but otherwise, it looks like a pretty nice place.
I've never been to Cologne, or anywhere else in Germany. So any opinions I might hold about what it's like to live there are just that -- opinions. And your opinions about American suburban design are just that -- opinions. Some people agree with you, some don't. That's how it is.
Human scale neighborhoods are still being produced. The area of Cologne that I previously showed in Google Streetview is called Clouth Quarter. The quarter is on the former factory site of the former Clouth Gummiwerke AG.
Today I was there making some photos to get some impressions you can not see from the streets.
Some of the apartment complexes have nice and large shared backyards.
It is also very family friendly. I have seen plenty of children there, which I didn't want to photograph of course.
There are playgrounds everywhere and there is a nice park within the quarter.
What are the little white storage units facing the street in the first photo?
I am not going to fight over two way vs one way street. In my experience one way streets are safer for children playing on the street, but on the other hand you can also use road barriers and other traffic calming measures to achieve the same goal. Here in Germany a residential street is usually a "Spielstraße" (play street), where you are not allowed to drive faster than walking speed.
Children shouldn't be playing on the street. It's unsafe.
Streets are meant for various modes of transport to traverse, not for children to play on.
Children shouldn't be playing on the street. It's unsafe.
Streets are meant for various modes of transport to traverse, not for children to play on.
Apparently in Germany children have priority over cars. Good so!
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