Sidewalk Fluidity

Oct 1

Creating flexible spaces that are safe for business owners, vendors, cyclists, and pedestrians

By: Chris Gibson, Santan Singh, Aaron Snider, and Brody Osadick

Often, main streets squeeze pedestrians and cyclists into narrow six-foot-wide pathways that restrict people's ability to move, interact and (now) socially distance. COVID-19 and future pandemics pose a significant challenge to the long-term viability of Main Streets for this reason. That is why our design intervention focuses on implementing Sidewalk Fluidity.

Sidewalk Fluidity is a design concept based on delineating mixed amenity spaces, at-grade cycling corridors and adequate pedestrian walkways without restricting the fluid transition between them. The goal with this design is to create safe and flexible spaces for local vendors, pop-up stands, cyclists and pedestrians.

Fluid sidewalk design is adaptable to the needs of any community and Main Street. The adaptability of the flex spaces allow for seasonal, day-of-the-week, or time-of-day changes. They are designed to be altered, usable for summer street markets or winter warming huts, adaptive to different pedestrian volumes from weekday to weekend, and from the workday commute to evening patio use.

Details:

Budget:

Implementing a two-way bike lane and paved pedestrian walkways can be directed under the capital budget for infrastructure improvements of the City.
Narrow planters with Indigenous medicinal costs approximately $250-$450 in materials, with additional costs for labour.
Kiosks for local vendors costs anywhere between $10,000 - $30,000 and would be community-owned to promote the local economy.
Two universally-accessible public toilets with touchless hand sanitizer dispensary costs approximately $20,000 - $25,000.
Costs of the maps and wayfinding signs will vary based on the custom shapes/cuts, use of material, aesthetics, and illumination. The size and complex and complexity of signage implemented in a project directly affects the fabrication and installation costs.

Materials and Fabrication:

Flexibility Amenity Areas may accommodate bench planters, patio extensions, kiosks for local vendors, public washroom stations and wayfinding signage.
The planters and kiosks would be wood construction with a simple design.
The materials used for patios and extended seating areas installations will also be reliant on the restaurants, but there can be an urban design design intervention by the City regarding patio fabrication.
The material used for the public toilets would be a shipping container featured with a sloped walkaway and acrylic glazed double walls, which makes it user friendly.

Installation and other services:

Patios and extended seating areas will be supported through local business improvement programs and consultations.
City involvement would be required for detailing the estimated budget, materials, fabrication, installation and design services needed for the bike lanes and pedestrian walkaways.
Local businesses and non-profits can provide water to the planters on a biweekly basis for the summer as needed. All materials and water will be moved by cargo bicycle by local organizations. Nearby business owners will be invited to adopt a planter and encouraged to donate any extra plants they may have.
The installation and maintenance services also depend on the nearby restaurants, and they have the liberty to do innovative thinking for their respective patios complying with safe social distances. Patios and sitting spaces will be supported through local business improvement programs.