Intrigue & Uncertainty: Towards New Traffic-Taming Tools

Author(s):

Engwicht, David

Organization:

Creative Communities International

Rating:

Very Useful

Abstract:

This 32-page, 5-chapter e-book turns traffic calming philosophy on its head, and is a must for planners and advocates addressing this issue. Designers, particularly as they assemble elements to place in the re-claimed street, should step back from the details and look at the forest.

Chapter 1 looks at how the streets were lost as a clue to re-claiming them, and introduces the idea that behavior is a major ingredient of traffic calming. Chapter 2 presents a new concept in traffic calming -- Psychology -- in particular what the author calls “intrigue and uncertainty”. It introduces the human fascination with unpredictability as a design goal, a notion that is a radical departure from the ordinary, and on first thought seeming contrary to the tenants of wayfinding. He explains why that is not the case. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 suggest the practical things folks can do.

The paper is all about human centered design, only the level that the author addresses traffic calming does not lend itself to a lot of discussion about access by all; the document would have been better if he had mentioned it. He claims that the paper is a work in progress; that being the case, perhaps it will include access by all at a future date.

Number of Pages:

32

Table of Contents?

Yes

Index?

No

Illustrations?

Yes (Photographs)

Material Type:

Web Page, Book

Notes:

Very Useful for community groups, policy makers, advocates, planners, and designers.

Key Document?

No

Categories:

Guidelines, Policy; Advocacy, Planning, Schematic/Concept Design

Keywords:

Traffic Calming

Strengths:

Highly recommended to community groups, policy makers, advocates, planners, and designers

Record Last Updated:

July 2006