Winners Announced in "21st Century Street" Design Competition

Transportation Alternatives announced three winners this week for “Designing the 21st Century Street,” an open design competition that challenged New Yorkers to safely accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, trucks and cars on the same “complete street” – something that has long eluded New York City street design. The winning entries, “Shared Space” by Steven Nutter, “Streets for Everyone” by Rogers Marvel Architects, and “Streets Come Alive” by LEVON, each prioritized pedestrians and bicyclists first, while maintaining the street as a transit hub and truck route.

More than 100 submissions from 13 countries tried to tackle the intersection of 4th Avenue and 9th Street in Brooklyn, a crossing that exemplifies car-first design by encouraging speeding and reckless driving while all but ignoring the walking and biking environment. Submissions ranged from the esoteric (a giant mirror placed in the center of the intersection, slowing cars with the illusion of a head-on collision) to the fine-tuned weaving of dedicated bike, car and transit lanes.

“We asked entrants to thread the needle of safety and mobility while designing world-class public space. Given that this intersection is one of the city’s most problematic crossings, each of the winning designs could serve as a template for countless streets across NYC,” says Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, the competition’s sponsor.

The jury included artists, architects, City commissioners and local residents with a fierce interest in seeing their neighborhood streets become safer and more vital. In particular, the expertise of Commissioner David Burney of the Department of Design and Construction and Alex Washburn, Chief Urban Designer for the City of New York, ensured the viability of finalists as applicable to New York City’s unique streets. The winners were each awarded a $4,000 cash prize.

Images: Transportation Alternatives