By Andrea Fox, Gov1 Senior Editor

The thinking is you take expected road cues out of the equation, and pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers all become more aware of each other, and safety improves.

In some European towns, Shared Space Road Use design proponents claim it’s the forced communication that reduces accidents. “It’s like an ice rink…smooth, harmonious movement is enabled by human interaction,” said Ben Hamilton-Baillie, a British urban architect1.

Meanwhile in London, outrage is calling for a stop to the practice. “The reality is that people feel terrified to go in these areas — be they pedestrians or motorists — because nobody has the right of way,” said Lord Holmes, a gold-medal-winning Paralympic swimmer and Parliament’s sole blind member, who commissioned a survey of 600 people2.

On this side of the pond, a University of Connecticut study, "Shared Space: Could Less Formal Streets Be Better for Both Pedestrians and Vehicles?" has impressed federal policymakers. The study concluded that Shared Space Road Use design could save drivers time and would be more convenient for pedestrians. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the number of Shared Space projects being implemented in the United States may increase. FHWA now includes Shared Space in its online practitioner tool, the Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System, or PEDSAFE, which provides users with engineering and enforcement treatment recommendations for specific location inputs.

To learn more about the new study, see the article in the FHWA's January 2016 newsletter.

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