NS&S is a livable streets blog, that is we promote the values and policy implications of the livable streets movement. From Streetswiki, livable streets are streets that are designed and maintained to meet the needs of all constituents -- pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists.
[Livable streets] strike a balance between the vehicles that travel through them and the community that lives there, works there, and plays there. They are functional corridors of public realm where people live, shop, interact, travel, and resolve their daily needs. Livable streets establish great neighborhoods and the possibility for true community building. Goods and services are readily accessible while adequate open space is provided for the local community. Unlike other streets that primarily serve the needs of traffic, they cater to the needs of everyone using them.
On Monday night, Bike Newton, Green Decade, and the Newton Conservators are hosting a screening of Contested Streets, an hour-long documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when things get out-of-balance and the automobile dominates our streets and communities. And, it explores what is possible if we strive to restore balance.
It is, in short, a livable streets manifesto. A call to arms (and legs).
If you read this blog, it's likely that you are a proponent of pedestrian and bicycle accommodations in Newton (and elsewhere). I urge you to see this film. It will put your pro-pedestrian/pro-bicycle inclinations into a larger context and give you a framework for understanding and describing why pedestrian and bicycle accommodations are so important. And, you'll spend an hour or so in the company of like-minded advocates.
Jeff Rosenblum, Executive Director of Cambridge-based LivableStreets Alliance, will introduce the movie. He is a major figure in the Boston area and an energizing speaker.
Do not miss this event.
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