MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• According to the World Health Organization, cities will hold 70 percent of
the world’s population by 2050.

About 96 percent of this growth will occur in developing countries, demanding

quality urban spaces and services.

As current cities expand and new ones crop up, it’s important for local leaders,
urban planners, and citizens to examine what works.

Compact, car-light cities spur economic growth, social cohesion, and quality of
life.
• Mixed-use development works to create inclusive, connected communities.

In mixed-use areas, you can find housing, restaurants, services, schools, cultural
facilities, parks, and more.

This connectivity reduces the need for private vehicles, thus increasing the viability
of public transport, walking, and bicycling.

• Everyday needs should be close enough to residential neighborhoods that they

can be reached by walking, bicycling, or public transport.
• By reducing the need for vehicle travel, mixed-use development also brings shared
community space. Plazas, parks, and sidewalks foster interaction among community
members—interaction that wouldn’t be safe or possible under a sprawled, car-centric
design model. One landmark study of San Francisco compared three neighborhoods
identical except for the levels of vehicle traffic on their streets. It revealed that
residents of the neighborhood with the lowest level of car traffic had three times as
many friends and twice as many acquaintances as their more heavily trafficked
counterparts.
• Finally, mixed-use, public transit-friendly neighborhoods benefit local
economies. They save individuals money on transportation by reducing the length
and number of everyday trips and eliminating the need for car ownership.

Mixed-use development also supports local businesses by increasing foot traffic.

Transport for London found that pedestrians spend up to 60 percent more money
at businesses each month than those traveling by car, while spending less on
transportation.

Combining mixed-use development with pedestrianization—or closing some areas

to cars to promote more walking—reinforces these benefits.
• Human-scale neighborhoods encourage different activities and social
interaction, recreating the streets and sidewalks as viable public spaces.

• Walking is the most democratic way to get around. It is the oldest mode of
transport, the most common in the world, it’s free, and it may even help you burn a
few calories.

• Nevertheless, people are walking less and less. As cities have become more
sprawled, highways have replaced sidewalks, creating significant obstacles to walking
safely. Sidewalks with broken concrete, narrow widths, and illegally parked vehicles
on them are further evidence that walking has is slowly being suffocated by other
modes of transport that are less healthy for both people and cities.

• We need a shift back to pedestrian-friendly streets. Enhancing the quality of city

sidewalks not only attracts more pedestrians, but also helps to create enjoyable
public spaces where people want to spend their time.
• To support and make walking both accessible and safe, sidewalks should be
constructed with these eight complementary and interconnected principles in mind.
Together, they not only make for vibrant sidewalks, but contribute directly to the
development of active and healthy cities.

Meet the eight principles of the sidewalk: (“Sidewalks are the New Roads”)

Well-designed sidewalks have

three zones, helping them serve as
vibrant public spaces.
2. Quality surfaces.

The material used to construct sidewalks needs to be consistent, firm, stable and slip-
resistant. In order to ensure that a sidewalk functions properly, designers must be
aware of how the sidewalk is being constructed and the quality of the handiwork

On larger streets, pedestrian

medians can also be designed to
serve as safe, accessible
sidewalks.
3. Efficient drainage.

Waterlogged streets, paths, or sidewalks are unsuitable for walking. Sidewalks that
accumulate water become useless, as pedestrians will likely end up diverting their
route through car-filled roads, risking their safety.

Green areas, even small

ones, help drain
sidewalks and keep
them safe and accessible
during storms.
4. Universal accessibility.

The sidewalk, as a public space, should be accessible to a wide spectrum of users—

including those with limited mobility. This means designing spaces that serve those
in wheelchairs, on crutches, pregnant women, the elderly, and others with special
mobility needs. Listing out the different potential users and their mobility limitations
during the design process can help ensure the final product will meet the needs of
all pedestrians.

Bumpy or uneven sidewalks are

particularly hard to navigate for
the mobility impaired.
5. Secure connections.

Pedestrians often transition to other modes of public transport, and need to be able
to safely access stations. It’s important that sidewalks are connected and integrated
within larger transport networks.

Curb extensions,
especially at crossings
and intersections,
minimize the risk of
traffic crashes involving
pedestrians.
6. Attractive spaces.

Streets are a fundamental part of the urban environment. Sidewalks can play an
important role in making the urban experience more enjoyable. Interesting, vibrant
sidewalks that can captivate people and make walking more attractive will ultimately
facilitate more physical activity while reducing traffic congestion.

Using lighter, reflective

materials to design sidewalks
can minimize the urban heat
island effect.
7. Permanent security.

Day or night, weekday or weekend, sidewalks are always open for us. However, there
are fewer people out on foot during certain times of the day and week, leading to
potentially unsafe situations given the lack of friendly eyes on the street. Adopting
strategies to positively influence safety and security can further encourage walking
and help all city dwellers feel more at home in their city.

Active ground floors are good for

business and help ensure friendly eyes
on the street for pedestrian safety.
8. Clear signage.

Just like drivers of motor vehicles, pedestrians need clear information so that they
can both orient themselves in the city and understand the rules and guidelines of
particular sidewalks.

This sign in London

shows clearly which
destinations the
average person can
walk to in five minutes.

https://thecityfix.com/blog/the-eight-principles-of-the-sidewalk-building-more-
active-cities-paula-santos/
9: Slow Speed Lanes.

We need to blend sidewalks with a passageway for the increasing number of elderly
who want to 'age in place' but won't be staying 'at home' 24/7. They'll be out and
about often in mobility scooters: they can't go on the roads and there's no room on
the footpaths. If we could do passageways alongside footpaths, we will be designing
today for the very near future when a large percentage of people will be over 80
years old.