Coleman, Alicia

Kuiper, Jacobien F

English

ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Fall 2020 Pandemic Course Materials COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Cities, Planning and Design 2020 Open Streets and Sidewalks - Slides Alicia Coleman University of Massachusetts Amherst Jacobien F. Kuiper University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/covid-19_impact_course_materials Coleman, Alicia and Kuiper, Jacobien F., "Open Streets and Sidewalks - Slides" (2020). Fall 2020 Pandemic Course Materials. 1. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/covid-19_impact_course_materials/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Cities, Planning and Design at ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Fall 2020 Pandemic Course Materials by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact scholarworks@library.umass.edu. Open Streets and SidewalksThe Impact of COVID-19 on the Streetscapes of Today’s Cities and the Promise of Social InfrastructureSUSTCOMM 597P | “PERIL and PROMISE” | Urban Planning and Design Implications of COVID-19Fall 2020 | Tuesday, October 6, 2020Alicia Coleman & Jacobien (Corien) KuiperPhD students Regional PlanningToday: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Streetscapes of Today’s Cities and the Promise of Social InfrastructurePracticeCase Study:How does this (not) work in practice?Northampton, MASocial InfrastructureTheory:What is social infrastructure?ExamplesReal-Time ResearchResearch:How to study social infrastructure during the pandemic?ExperiencesSocial InfrastructureTheory:What is social infrastructure?ExamplesWhat is a streetscape? (Rehan 2013)● the natural and built fabric of the street● its design qualities, visual effect● how the paved area is laid out and treated● includes buildings, the street surface, and also the fixtures and fittings that facilitate its use – from bus shelters and signage to planting schemesPurpose?  (Hui et al. 2018) ● circulating different forms of transit● mitigating adverse environmental impacts● serving as a place of destinations Social Infrastructure Definition: physical and institutional networks crucial for the development and maintenance of social connections (Laytham and Layton 2019)physical place of material design that facilitates and shapes activity;“gatekeeper” to create affordance for connectioninstitutional  practices or customs that instill trust and belonging across difference (political, economic, or cultural groups); “gatekeeper” for curating a (positive) experience and actively inviting anyone into public realm Properties of infrastructure (Star 1999)1. embedded: within familiar networks2. reach/ scope: intended for repeated use3. learned with membership: norms revealed with use4. embodied standards: drawn from existing systems5. installed base: exists within other provisioning structures6. transparent: unnoticed while in use *7. visible upon breakdown: *until dysfunctional8. fixed in modular increments: can only change in stagesExample: Properties of a 15-minute neighborhood (near TOD district)physical infrastructure:  houses, apartments, stores, parks, roads, sidewalksinstitutional infrastructure: families, friends, neighbors social infrastructure: using a bike lane for commuting and recreation, chatting with neighbors over a fence1. embedded: within familiar networks transit network, building density2. reach/ scope: intended for repeated use intersections, parking lots3. learned with membership: norms revealed with usesalutations or silence4. embodied standards: drawn from existing systemsmixed use/ TOD (walking, biking)5. installed base: exists within other provisioning structureslocal, state, federal administration6. transparent: unnoticed while in use * sidewalks7. visible upon breakdown: * until dysfunctional vehicle-pedestrian crashes8. fixed in modular increments: can only change in stageshousing stock, material infrastructure upgradesSocial Infrastructure Definition: physical and institutional networks crucial for the development and maintenance of social connections (Laytham and Layton 2019)• Permits people to gather without barriers• Provides a welcoming atmosphere for interaction and support • Offers different uses for different groups of peopleMatching physical infrastructure with the way a place is experiencedPlaces (land use) of social infrastructure:Transportation Commuting by bike on a rail trail. Commerce Seeing regulars at a bagel shop.Open space, sport/ recreation  Joining a Parks/Rec event at the park.Arts and culture Volunteering at a museum. Civic Using a library to access the internetEducation Participating in after-school clubs.Religion Attending choir practice. Social Infrastructure Research partners UMass LARP (Michael), WalkBoston, MassINCresearch questions 1. What is the social infrastructure of MA Gateway City TOD districts? ● physical infrastructure, land use● programming, organizational density2.  What elements of social infrastructure effectively build local resilience?3. What policies, programs, and projects can boost resiliency and shape them as 15-minute city zones? how do you measure social infrastructure?Quantitative: amount, diversity, distribution● US Census data - who lives and works near TOD districts? ● land use data - how close are essential services?● transportation data - where are the sidewalks? ● organizational data - where is public programming provided?● safety data - what is the risk of personal harm? Qualitative: quality, condition● walk audit - where do residents feel safe and unsafe walking?● stakeholder interviews - what’s a priority? when and how can changes happen?● city plans - what has been on the community’s radar?QuestionWhat was the social infrastructure you created or used in the neighborhood where you grew up?How does that compare with the social infrastructure you use now? How does social infrastructure change for different groups of people, based on:● demographic characteristics (age, gender, race, place of birth)● socioeconomic status (housing type, income, education)● personal preferences (sports, nature, film, food)How has social infrastructure changed during the COVID-19 pandemic?Example of social infrastructure (places and relationships) for Mr. Rahmat, a street food vendor (Malasan 2017)Social InfrastructureTheory:What is social infrastructure?ExamplesReal-Time ResearchResearch:How to study social infrastructure during the pandemic?ExperiencesInspirationSources:“Ten Ways Every City Should Respond…”. StreetsBlogUSA/Kea Wilson, March 31, 2020“The Pandemic Has Pushed Aside City Planning Rules”New York Times/Emily Badger, July 20, 2020“The Recovery Will Happen in Public Spaces”Project for Public Spaces/Phil Myrick, May 16, 2020“‘Safe Streets’ Are Not Safe for Black Lives”, CityLab/Destiny Thomas, June 8, 2020DatabaseData collection and analysisSampleFindings (1)By far, most interventions were installed to benefit restaurants, and then businesses, more generally. Concrete barriers in Grand Rapids, MichiganWOOD, updated June 19, 2020Outdoor dining in Boston, MassachusettsBoston Globe, June 11, 2020Outdoor dining in Portland, OregonKOMOnews, June 21, 2020Findings (2)Although less common, 41% of cities made changes to infrastructure that did not directly benefit businesses. Stay Healthy and Keep it Moving Streets in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle.gov, updated August 14, 2020Slow Streets in New Orleans, LouisianaCity of New Orleans, update July 7, 2020Play Streets and Shared Spaces in San Francisco, California SFMTA, accessed September 3, 2020Findings (3)Lack of community engagement. London, United Kingdom, source: SaveOurSoho, accessed September 3, 2020Findings (4)Almost all interventions were planned as temporary measures at the time of our data collection. Seattle, Washington, source: Seattle.gov, updated August 14, 2020QuestionWhat will it take to keep these streets and spaces open?How can they continue to function as social infrastructure instead of reverting to parking lots (with or without snow piles), vacant lots, and traffic thoroughfares?Promising Signs?PracticeCase Study:How does this (not) work in practice?Northampton, MASocial InfrastructureTheory:What is social infrastructure?ExamplesReal-Time ResearchResearch:How to study social infrastructure during the pandemic?ExperiencesNorthampton, MARedesignRedesign Dismantled

Open Streets and Sidewalks - Slides

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Open Streets and Sidewalks - Slides

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