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Woonerf
Woonerf is a Dutch word for an area, usually residential, where motorists and other users share the street without boundaries such as lanes and curbs. The term can be translated as "residential yard," reflecting its popularity in the Netherlands where private space is limited. In a woonerf, people on bikes and on foot have access to the whole street, not just sidewalks. Moreover, the street functions as a public living room, where adults gather and children play safely because vehicle speed is kept to a minimum.
Popularized in the Netherlands
Woonerfs were popularized in the Netherlands in the 1970s as a reaction to the growing dominance of the automobile over bicycles. During the first few years after World War II, Dutch transportation engineers began to emphasize relocating bicycles onto separate paths to accommodate the growing number of vehicles on the streets. This created a backlash, and the country soon moved in the opposite direction. Motorists were now forced to make accommodations for everyone else. The intent of this new approach was not to make cars disappear, but rather to integrate motorists and other users of the street into a shared space. The Dutch government developed traffic regulations for woonerfs in 1976, though the first woonerf was built in the city of Delft a decade earlier. (1) Since then a variation on the woonerf designed for commercial districts, known as the "winkelerf," has come into use as well.
The Five Criteria
The five primary criteria for a woonerf, as outlined by Donald Appleyard in his 1981 book Livable Streets, include gateways that announce that one has entered the woonerf; curves to slow vehicle traffic; amenities such as trees and play equipment that serve the dual purpose of forcing vehicles to slow down; no curbs; and intermittent parking so that cars do not form a wall of steel between the roadway and houses. (1) Tools such as speed bumps, which are often used to slow traffic but do nothing to enhance the pedestrian experience, are not used. The use of curves eliminates lengthy sightlines for drivers. "Don't let [the driver] search for the end of his torment," a Dutch woonerf expert suggests only half-jokingly. (2) Cars can pass each other in a woonerf, but typically only in selected locations. The speed limit is typically about 10 miles per hour.
Other countries
Woonerfs are known as home zones in England, where they have grown in popularity as a device to make streets safer. Studies of home zones have shown they can reduce crime and encourage children to play in the street. Germany has also employed the woonerf concept in several cities and towns. In an effort to introduce the woonerf to a side street in Brookline, Mass., traffic engineers displayed their ignorance of the concept. They introduced obstacles to traffic and eliminated curbs, but insisted on making it clear where vehicles were supposed to go. (3) A successful woonerf should instead blur the lines between vehicular and other space.
Examples of Woonerfs
- Commercial Street in Provincetown, MA
ALSO ON THE LIVABLE STREETS NETWORK
- "Battery Park City: An Opportunity for Innovative Street Design." Streetsblog, 5/18/07
REFERENCES
[1] Colin Hand, "Woonerf: A Dutch Residential Streetscape." Landscape Architecture Study Tour. University of Massachusetts, Amherst Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning.
[2] Stephen Schepel, "Woonerf Revisited: Delft as an Example." Childstreet 2005 conference, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
[3] Anthony Flint. "One More 'Woonerf,' Albeit Flawed, A Little Less Whoosh." The Boston Globe. January 18, 2004
