Pedestrian Plazas Research Articles

Creating New Public Spaces

New York City was the first city in the US to establish a pedestrian plaza program to create public spaces in neighbourhoods that have insufficient public space in 2009. The Department of Transportation (DOT) operates the program in partnership with local neighbourhood organizations to create these spaces through an incremental process that can be used for a variety of activities. In the research reported here the process of creating these spaces was documented through interviews with government officials and scrutiny of government documents and five plazas were studied in depth in Brooklyn and Queens. Sources of data included: sit observations, surveys with occupants, and interviews with sponsors and city government officials. The findings demonstrate that the process of designing and managing the plazas poses significant challenges for the DOT and for the sponsoring organizations but once these challenges are met, the plazas meet an important need in urban neighbourhoods that previously lacked sufficient public space for recreation.

Mechanical properties of interlocking concrete paving blocks prepared with waste PET bottles

The main purpose of this paper was to analyze the most important properties of concrete paving blocks (CBP’s) prepared with crushed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles derived from soda bottles, by considering PET contents equal to 15, 25 and 35% by volume. Standardized water absorption and compressive strength tests after 21 and 28 curing days were selected. By replacing 15% of conventional aggregates by PET, a maximum increase of 25% in the characteristic compressive strength (fpk) becomes visible and the average value of 32.12 MPa is close to the minimum required value for standard traffic (35 MPa). This may be attributed to the higher interlocking level of the plastic particles within the fractured surfaces of the concrete matrix, as well as the proper amounts of plastics, natural aggregates and Portland cement in the sample and the high elastic modulus of PET. However, the fpk values decreased up to 26% and 66% for plastic contents equal to 25 and 35% by volume, respectively. Despite the general recommendation of not using the CBP’s in pavement surfaces due to the insufficient compressive strength, they may be applied on non-traffic areas such as landscapes, walkways and pedestrian plazas.

Effects of various reinforcement on mechanical properties of plastic block: A review

Solid waste management is one of the major problems of any developing country due to the rapid growth in urbanization and industrialization. In solid waste one of the main components is plastics. Some of the plastics used in household and industrial applications are polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and this kind of plastics can be recyclable but these plastics are simply dumped in landfills and water bodies and then plays a vital role in the causes for environmental pollution and other threats. Degradation rate of plastics also very slow, hence disposal of these plastic wastes without any cautions are not only affecting our surroundings but also affecting humans and other living beings. In addition to plastic waste another one main element is construction waste. Most of these waste plastics and construction wastes such as ceramic waste, metal scraps and quarry dust can be recycled by proper processes and can be reused. These waste plastics can be used to manufacture plastic blocks that may be used in construction works. This paper mainly focuses on the review of researches done on Improving mechanical properties of paver blocks using various waste materials as reinforcement. These plastic paver blocks with reinforcement can be used in nontraffic roads such as walkways, footpaths, pedestrian plazas, landscapes, monument premises and in waterlog areas due to their low water absorption property.

Risk perception and distraction engagement with smart devices in different types of walking environments

ObjectiveThe present study aims to: 1) determine whether the risks associated with distracted walking are influenced by walking environment by estimating the incidence and severity of phone-related distracted walking injuries; and 2) investigate individuals’ perceptions of distracted walking risk within different walking environments to understand whether individuals are aware of the potential risks and the manner in which they understand those risks. BackgroundDistracted walking has been increasingly considered a public safety issue over the past few years. Research has focused on understanding the many factors that may influence pedestrians’ engagement with smart-devices in order to address this issue. Risk perception may be one factor that guides engagement decisions but has not been widely studied in the context of distracted walking. Risk perception and the consequences of distracted walking are likely to be impacted by the walking environment, however, current research has typically focused on a subset of locations— streets and intersections. MethodThis study used the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a national database of injuries due to consumer products, to understand the number and severity of distracted walking injuries and locations where it occurred. Phone related injury cases from 2011 to 2019 were extracted and categorized by two independent raters in terms of cause of injury and location of injury. An online questionnaire, N = 207, was used to understand how individuals’ perception of risk in five different walking environments (intersections, stairwells, hallways, pedestrian plazas, and parking lots) were related to distraction engagement. Risk perception was measured through three different framings: risk of distracted walking (i.e., overall risk of engaging with the behavior), risk of collision and risk of falls (e.g., risks associated with the consequences of engaging with the behavior). ResultsThe NEISS analysis showed an upward trend of distracted walking injuries from 2011 (2184 incidents) to 2019 (4711 incidents) and that the number of injuries differed across the different walking environments. The survey results showed that individuals varied their risk perception levels (risk of distracted walking, collision, and falls) based on the walking environment and distraction status (distraction and no distraction). The relationship between overall risk of distracted walking and the risks of the different consequences (falls & collision) differed by walking environment. Finally, significant negative correlations were found between risk perception and actual distraction engagement for each location.

Exploiting recycled plastic waste as an alternative binder for paving blocks production

The management of solid waste continues to be a major challenge, particularly in the urban agglomeration in low and middle-income countries. One type of solid waste that is of national and global concern is plastic wastes. This study sought to explore the potential of using plastic waste as a binding material for paving blocks production. Concrete paving blocks (cement: quarry dust: sand = 1:1:2) by weight or volume were produced to serve as Control having tested the compressive strength and water absorption properties. Composite paving blocks less in plastic (LP) on a mix ratio of 1:1:2 and high in plastic (HP) on a mix ratio of 1:0.5:1 by weight or volume were also produced and tested in the laboratory for compressive strength at 7, 14, and 21 days curing via water sprinkling and water absorption test were done after the 72 -h of soaking. The study revealed after 21 days old that paving blocks in HP and LP having compressive strengths of 8.53 N/mm2 (water absorption = 0.5%) and 7.31 N/mm2 (water absorption = 2.7%) respectively were higher than the Control value of 6.07 N/mm2 (water absorption = 4.9%). The authors recommended that the paving blocks made from the recycled plastic waste should be used in non-traffic areas such as walkways, footpaths, pedestrian plazas, landscapes, monument premises and in waterlog areas due to their low water absorption property and relatively low compressive strengths compared to global specs thresholds of 5–25% and low-density to moderate concrete strength 0.69–17.24 N/mm2 respectively.

Is it time to go for no-car zone policies? Braess Paradox Detection

No-car zone is becoming a trend in many parts of the world, mainly driven by environmental motives. Recent data has shown that both vehicle kilometers traveled and car ownership are on the decline, especially in developed countries. This has been coupled with the rise of new urban mobility concepts such as smart mobility, car sharing, and green modes. Can we push for these policies without compromising traffic circulation? The Braess Paradox (BP) suggests that road closure can, in fact, improve traffic congestion; dubbed as the Braess Paradox Detection Problem (BPDP). This study aims to leverage the BP to boost the idea of the no-car zone. To this end, we formulate the BPDP as a bilevel problem and develop a heuristic methodology (a surrogate-based algorithm) to identify roads for closure in the heart of the cities to be reclaimed for green space, pedestrian plazas, and so on. Furthermore, our proposed formulation considers travel demand elasticity resulting from road-closure schemes while solving for the BPDP. We test the methodology using a real dataset, the road network of Winnipeg. The results indicate strong evidence and justification supporting the idea of no-car zone even in the heart of highly congested cities.

Identifying street design elements associated with vehicle-to-pedestrian collision reduction at intersections in New York City

ObjectiveWe evaluated associations between the installation of eleven street design elements, between 2007 and 2015, and subsequent changes in vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions in New York City. MethodsCollision data were from Accident Location Information System in the New York State Department of Transportation. Safety improvement projects at 118 intersections were reviewed and their implemented street design elements were identified. First, we assessed potential regression-to-the-mean effects using historic trends of pedestrian collision count at the intersection project locations. Second, we used a two-group pretest-posttest design to assess individual element’s associations with pedestrian collision reduction after installations. Pedestrian collision count and pedestrian- and vehicle-based pedestrian collision rates were examined. Third, regression trees were used to classify the intersections with design elements as independent variables for the target variables of collision outcomes, to identify street design element combinations associated with pedestrian collision reductions. ResultsTreatments with pedestrian refuge island or pedestrian plaza had reductions in pedestrian collision count and pedestrian-based collision rate while their comparisons had no changes. Treatments with pedestrian refuge island had a larger reduction in pedestrian collision when combined with lane removal or narrowing. Treatment with curb extension or pedestrian plaza had reductions in vehicle-based pedestrian collision rate while their comparisons had no changes. Other studied elements showed no, small, or insignificant associations with post-project pedestrian collision reductions.

89 Liberty Street: The Birthplace of Commercial Polyphase Power [History

Today, 89 Liberty Street in New York City is part of the pedestrian plaza of the large office building known as 1 Liberty Plaza. In 1887, it was the site of a small commercial structure in which the first practical induction motor and polyphase system was constructed, patented, and demonstrated. Vital to large-scale commercial electrification, the polyphase system was declared by experts to be the most significant invention of the electrical age. It can be said that the structure at 89 Liberty Street was truly the birthplace of modern ac technology in the United States.

FUNCTION AS PLAZA AND MANAGEMENT OF ELEVATED PEDESTRIAN DECK FACING RAILWAY STATION

An elevated pedestrian deck that has been constructed over a station plaza is a facility to connect a station with surrounded area in order to achieve smooth traffic. Approximately 230 decks has been constructed along with railway station in Japan, and the aging of the decks becomes a problem recently. With the case study of Kashiwa Station East Deck “Double Deck” which is the oldest deck in Japan, the purpose of this paper is to examine process and system of the deck management as a plaza with achieving revitalization of the decks as urban open spaces. The reason why the Double Deck had been built was not only to create a pedestrian friendly space within downtown in Kashiwa, but also to provide a traffic plaza space that was lacked at this moment. Applying the Urban Redevelopment Project provided for the Urban Renewal Act, one third of the station square floor was built with the deck in 1973. At the time of its completion, the deck space was the road under a law, but it became popular place as a symbol plaza and event space because of the first elevated car-free space. In fact, the number of music performances on the deck has increased since 1990s, and then Kashiwa city made the rule about performance on the deck, “Kashiwa Rule” in 2005, to support their activity. It allows performers to do their activities throughout a year with easy and low-cost registration procedure. After 40 years from construction, in 2012, its seismic repair was accomplished. Along with this repair, the deck also increased plaza floor for event space. In the same period of deck repair, private sector which is composed of 4 shopping street organizations redeveloped the space below the deck as pedestrian plaza in order to create a pedestrian friendly environment at the ground level. After its redevelopment, the private sector handed over an arrangement to the Kashiwa city about management of the plaza. These two redevelopments make the station square more friendly for pedestrians, and it became more fascinating space. Moreover, the station square leads the public private partnerships in public space management on the Double Deck. The Kashiwa Rule is also the part of its management system. Logistical management work are taken by NPO and local private organization under an arrangement with Kashiwa city. On the other hand, from 2016 April, the Kashiwa Machidukuri Kosha Public Corp. started a comprehensive management including the Double Deck and its ground pedestrian plaza, following private sector's management. This total management aims to increase diversity of activities in the station square, with deregulating road occupancy permission by the Act on Special Measures concerning Urban Reconstruction. The Kashiwa east station square including the Double Deck is still “road” in law. However, through spatial regeneration and formation of management by public private partnership, it has become almost “plaza” spatially and functionally. Many of the pedestrian decks built in Japan are still planed only as a part of transportation hub. In order to promote the revitalization of downtown around the railroad station in the future, it is necessary to reconsider the function of a station square and its deck, and also to establish a guideline to design a station square as a more vibrant and more pedestrian friendly space.

Beneficial reuse of construction surplus clay in CLSM

The disposal of on-site construction imperfect earth materials and the production of standard engineering aggregates for backfill have been facing increasingly environmental and ecological challenges in many densely populated metropolitan areas. This paper presents an experimental study using soft excavated surplus clay to produce a clay-based controlled low strength material (CLSM) as subgrade material for a pedestrian plaza. Observations have been made for physical and engineering properties based on the fresh and harden-state of the samples. The presented test results include physical and engineering properties for flowable and hardened samples. Two control parameters, the weight ratios of cement-to-water (C/W) and water-to-solid (W/S) were defined to correlate each investigated property with the variations of mixture proportions. Experimental findings indicate that a clay-based CLSM can be developed as an alternative structural backfill material. The recommended C/W and W/S design ratios for the proposed material should be 0.5-0.7 and 0.7, respectively. The fresh state of such mixture presents acceptable flowability and bleeding for easy construction. Its hardened state also behaves as stiff clay with lowest compressibility and stronger bearing capacity, and therefore qualifies for the proposed structural support. The results explore an innovative scheme for the reduction and reuse of construction surplus clay, and suggest a beneficial paradigm for the sustainable development of built environments. However, the findings presented herein can only ensure the validity of the mixtures with the materials in this study. It is highly recommended that those interested in clay-based CLSM perform site-specific experimental studies using local materials to evaluate the particular mix designs.