Wednesday, February 18, 2009

SF's First Shared Street

Streetsblog SF reports that the Planning Department's City Design Group has released its draft plan for a shared street, or woonerf along Jefferson Street at Fisherman's Wharf. I look forward to seeing this work.

The price tag of $10-12 million sounds steep, and I'm right there with the rest of the SB commenters dreaming about what that money could do in my hood. But I'm hoping that price tag means that they're investing in doing it right.

Successful pedestrian spaces can (and should) be created on the cheap, but you very often get what you pay for when it comes to investing in infrastructure. Concrete pavers and plastic planters cost less that stone and steel, but they don't last as long. We can still appreciate the investments in quality materials that were made a century ago and if the high price of this project goes toward that end, I'm cool with that.

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