Designers of streets in areas where pedestrian volumes are high should utilize flexibility in design, and consider shared space design principles.
Shared space is a design approach that seeks to change the way streets operate by reducing the dominance of motor vehicles, primarily through lower speeds and encouraging drivers to behave more accommodatingly towards pedestrians. (UK Department for Transport)
Not only is it safer and more accommodating to cyclists and pedestrians, and amenable to placemaking, recent research shows that compared to conventional intersection design, shared space provides much greater vehicular capacity, and greatly reduced delays for motorists.
Shared space article (FHWA livability newsletter, Jan 2016)
