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Bristol-based consultant Ben Hamilton-Baillie and other proponents of Shared Space believe that an urban plan that integrates traffic and human activity more directly will create more accessible public spaces. In their view, the current model of clearly defined routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists–all regulated by a plethora of signs–isolates segments of the urban community and makes commuters less aware of their environment and one another.
By removing curbs, signage, and other traditional barriers, Shared Space makes traffic patterns contextual–the movement and flow shaped by thoughtfulness and “everyday norms of behavior.” Ideally, the shared space principle makes commuters more aware of their surroundings, creating a system in which traffic organizes itself in response to the changing environment. This concept mirrors the patterns found in the old Boids simulation developed by Craig Reynolds–a line of research into self organization that later experts applied more explicitly to human movements and the flow of traffic.
A recent NPR storyexamined the idea’s implementation in the German town of Bohmte. While some have criticized the expense in altering streets, other residents feel that the changes have made drivers more aware of their surroundings and more considerate of the needs of cyclists and pedestrians.
. Historian Shae Davidson's research interests include public policy and the relationship between culture and civil society. His publications range from articles on industrial history to absurdist poetry.
