Repurposing streets for people: Quick-builds using tactical urbanism
Subject
Abstract
This thesis introduces tactical urbanism as a way to expand the toolkit for planners to address street safety challenges in mid-sized cities like Nanaimo quickly using it as engagement tool. Using the case study of Haliburton Street and Milton Street in the South End neighbourhood in Nanaimo, BC, this research unpacks the tactical urbanism approach through an in-depth literature review. In addition, a survey was sent out to the South End residents to collect insights from their daily use of the street. Thirty traffic observations were conducted at five locations on the street, and an inventory of existing street facilities was taken to supplement this research. Lastly, three interviews were conducted with community planners in Nanaimo and a community leader of the South End. The findings suggest that there is significant interest in repurposing the study area using small-scale interventions. The research concludes with conceptual designs of five quick-build interventions as the first step towards a more traffic-calmed Haliburton and Milton Street in the future and suggests tactical urbanism as an effective collaborative engagement tool that can be incorporated into the current public engagement framework for active transportation and traffic-calming projects in Nanaimo.