As of September 1, 2011, ALL 1,875 retail establishments are prohibited from providing light-weight, single-use plastic carryout bags to customers at the point of sale. MORE

By Melonie Magruder
Lookout Staff

November 4, 2011 -- They do it in major European cities. Also in San Francisco. They do it big time in Bogotá, Columbia, where former mayor Enrique Peñalosa is given to statements such as, “when you construct a good sidewalk, you are constructing democracy.”

He was referring to programs like the Living Streets initiative touted by planning experts Crissy Fanganello and Anna Jones that helped transform Downtown Denver.

Fanganello and Jones were invited by Downtown Santa Monica officials this fall to give locals information about what other communities are doing to enhance their urban landscapes, ease traffic congestion, promote healthier lifestyles and allow residents to engage more directly with the city in which they live.

“We wanted to think about our streets on a programmatic level and look through the lens of a travel shed in the city,” said Fanganello, director of policy and planning for the Denver Department of Public Works. “How, exactly, are people moving around?”

It’s not a rhetorical question. One third of Americans don’t drive, so public transport must be a large part of the solution. Yet many cities try to handle burgeoning populations with greater traffic and parking opportunities for private transit.

“Trying to cure traffic congestion with more capacity is like trying to cure obesity by loosening your belt,” Fanganello said citing the futurist Glen Heimstra.

Americans spend more time stuck in traffic during their lives than on vacation, said Jones, vice president of Progressive Urban Management Associates (PUMA).
“Living Streets are about economic development, fiscal return, and public and environmental health,” Jones said. “This comes from creating a more pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly city.”

Jones cited studies that proved public transport projects create twice the jobs of highway and road projects for single vehicles. Properties located near light rail stations increase value by 15 to 20 percent.

“This is the first generation of American children who might have shorter life spans than their parents due to obesity and environmental problems,” Fanganello said. “Encouraging public transit and cycling will reduce costs for your city all around.”

“We wanted to invite people to be a part of their urban realm,” Jones said by phone from Denver. “You accomplish that when you slow down and take the time to really see your surroundings.”

Creating a more pedestrian-and cycling-friendly city is a major challenge for any town in Southern California, the car culture capital of the world. But, according to Jones and Fanganello, the economic and quality-of-life results can be surprising.

Jones told a story of a Denver commuter who began to park his car in a remote parking lot because of its reasonable rates and just walked to his office from there.

“The guy changed nothing else in his lifestyle, not diet or exercise routine or anything,” Jones said. “But within a year, he lost about 20 pounds. Just from that daily walk.”

PUMA looked at case studies around the nation, including Mission Street in San Francisco, whose Better Streets Plan is expanding sidewalk widths, planting trees, highlighting intersections and creating dedicated bike lanes. After major revision, 60 percent of merchants on Mission Street reported “significant” increases in sales after traffic lanes were narrowed, bike lanes formalized and infrastructure (like bus stops) improved.

“It makes sense,” Jones said. “If people can actually see what a shop is offering in their windows because they are walking or biking, there is greater opportunity for merchants.”

Several Southland cities are implementing master bike plans to help connect streets and thoroughfares, introduce or broaden bike lanes and provide bicycle parking facilities.

Downtown SM President and CEO Kathleen Rawson said she would like to see local officials explore what ideas can be transferred to Santa Monica.

“It is far too early to predict what our specific plan will eventually say,” Rawson said. “But we thought that their approach was very inspiring. It is our goal to continue to bring thoughtful and innovative speakers [here] as we move through our process to get the most well considered options available.”