The Power and Potential of Multi-Way Boulevards

TLDRMulti-way boulevards offer a versatile solution for replacing highways and creating a better urban experience. They combine local and arterial streets, providing mobility and access. While they can be difficult to retrofit into existing suburban areas, they can be a great fit for main streets and have the potential to create a non-hierarchical roadway system. Despite their advantages, multi-way boulevards are still fairly rare, but they have the power to transform cities and improve traffic flow.

Key insights

🚗Multi-way boulevards combine local and arterial streets, providing mobility and access.

🌳Multi-way boulevards can create a more appealing public realm with the addition of trees.

🏢Multi-way boulevards can replace highways and improve the urban experience for businesses and residents.

🚧Retrofitting existing suburban arterials with multi-way boulevards can be challenging due to existing parking lots.

💡Multi-way boulevards have the potential to form the backbone of a non-hierarchical roadway system.

Q&A

What are multi-way boulevards?

—Multi-way boulevards are streets that combine local and arterial functions, providing mobility and access.

Why are multi-way boulevards rare?

—Multi-way boulevards are still fairly rare due to the hierarchical thinking of urban roadways and the difficulty of retrofitting existing suburban arterials.

What are the benefits of multi-way boulevards?

—Multi-way boulevards offer improved traffic flow, a more appealing public realm, and the potential to replace highways and improve the urban experience.

Can multi-way boulevards be retrofitted into existing suburban areas?

—While retrofitting existing suburban arterials with multi-way boulevards can be challenging, it is not impossible with proper planning and integration of existing parking lots.

How can multi-way boulevards contribute to a non-hierarchical roadway system?

—Multi-way boulevards have the potential to form the backbone of a non-hierarchical roadway system by providing a combination of mobility and access, improving traffic flow, and creating a more balanced urban environment.

Timestamped Summary

00:00This video is sponsored by Curiosity Stream and Nebula.

02:08Multi-way boulevards offer a versatile solution for replacing highways and creating a better urban experience.

04:55Multi-way boulevards can serve as a local, collector, or arterial street all at the same time.

07:57Retrofitting existing suburban arterials with multi-way boulevards is harder but not impossible.

08:33Multi-way boulevards can potentially form the backbone of a non-hierarchical roadway system.

Browse more