Reclaiming the Streets as a commons
Part of the most important sharing trends selected by Shareable magazine:
“For most of human history, everyone shared the streets. They were a commons where kids played and neighbors chatted.
Today, legally speaking, the streets still belong to us all; but in reality they have become the exclusive property of motorists. And when traffic proliferates, streetlife disappears and our lives suffer, too—crime rises, pollution increases, social connections decline and we have fewer transportation options.
Thankfully, the Complete Streets movement has emerged reclaim America’s roads for everyone: pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, the disabled, old people and children, as well as drivers.
Local organizations and the National Complete the Streets Coalition are pushing for new policies that make streets safe, accessible and convenient for all. The Complete Streets Act of 2009 is now before Congress, and nine states and many localities have recently enacted complete streets legislation. Meanwhile, in 2009 the Obama administration quietly infused cities with funds for public transit, green building and retrofitting, inter-agency sharing, and education, creating new possibilities for renewing the urban commons.”