Sometimes it is OK to cut some corners in your city. This may seem like an odd assertion in a world where we are encouraged to do our best and give 100% in most matters. Why would Strong Towns encourage a community to cut corners?
It turns out that by cutting a few corners, you can actually make your community a better and safer place. Oh, did I mention I meant that literally?
The most complex urbanism of any city can be found at the intersection of two streets. Intersections, and specifically the corners of intersections, are complex transition spaces where all the players in the design and construction of the city have to meet, communicate, and ultimately compromise. Unfortunately, this communication and coordination is often lost in practice.
Getting intersections right provides a lot of opportunity to positively contribute to a community. Through intersection design, we can tackle vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian conditions, provide federally required accommodations under the American for Disabilities Act, add stormwater management, and take back the public realm from the car.
Through poor transportation decisions or unsupervised maintenance, the intersection can become victim to the asphalt truck. The result is a paved corner radius that city officials expand over time to accommodate poor driving behavior, resulting in a downward spiral. These locations are where the streets become wider, the speeds increase, and any semblance of walkability is lost.
The intersection can be saved and converted into an appropriate design with minor attention. In most cases, the intersection can be improved during regular maintenance or scheduled improvements. With the simple removal of pavement, numerous problems can be resolved.
Over time, the above intersection has been widened, which is evident from the cracks and color changes in the pavement. The result is a significant amount of unnecessary pavement. Aerial and street views show where additional pavement has been laid and paved over at the corner, making the radius larger over time.