Recently I read two books that show that urban transformation is possible. The first one is the recently launched book entitled Streetfight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution by Janette Sadik-Khan, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, and the second one is "Where We Want to Live: Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities" by Ryan Gale. They show recent cases in New York and Atlanta, respectively.
In New York, the change came from the public sector that was able to mobilize in a short period of time strategies for reclaiming the streets as public space to be shared and enjoyed. From 2000 to 2012 the bike share quadrupled. In less than 3 years they built 321 km of new bike paths and reclaim parks in previous car spaces such as Times Square. Today, under a new administration the change continues and New York is reaching an amazing figure of 1,500 km of bike paths.
In Atlanta, the transformation was fostered by a bottom-up citizen mobilization. From a master thesis, Ryan Gale mobilized the community, grassroots organizations and the government to build the Atlanta Beltline, a magnifying green space for biking, walking and enjoying the city. This project, similar to The High Line in New York, is making Atlanta rethink its previous actions that prioritized car-oriented policies. The Atlanta Beltline will compromise in few years 35 km of the former railway corridor with green space for pedestrians, bicycles and public transport.
These are some of the quotes and lessons from these books that can make you see that the city you dream can become a reality if you act.
StreetFight – Janette Sadik-Khan, 2016.
"Where We Want to Live: Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities" by Ryan Gale.
"Public advocacy is the key to making the Belt Line a reality".