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A () is a living street, as originally implemented in the
Since the invention of automobiles, cities have been predominantly constructed to accommodate the use of automobiles.
The ''woonerf'' was created by residents of Delft who tore up pavement late at night to make it so cars had to drive slower to avoid the obstacles. The ''woonerven'' (plural) was incorporated into the national street design standards in 1976.
The entire locality of Emmen in the Netherlands was designed as a in the 1970s.
In 1999 the Netherlands had over 6000 and today around 2 million Dutch people are living in ''woonerven''. The benefits of the are promoted by , a network of professionals and residents.
In 2006 it was reported that people in Hesselterbrink, a neighborhood of Emmen, were disillusioned about how the principle had become another traffic engineering measure that "entailed precious little more than signs and uniform standards". They have now adopted the
Belgian traffic regulation (art. 2.32) defines the and the generic erf, and their traffic sign. The has a residential focus; the erf can have other primary uses like “crafts, trade, tourism, education and recreation”.
In art. 22bis, the Belgian traffic regulation describes what is and what isn’t allowed in a (woon)erf:
Road Traffic Signs and Regulations in the Netherlands
Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, June 2006 Accessed 7 February 2007.
Case Studies: Woonerf
at California Active Transportation Safety Information Pages (UC Berkeley)
What in the World is a Woonerf?
(Canin Associates) {{Road types Living streets Types of streets Types of roads Cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands Transportation planning Pedestrian streets in the Netherlands Traffic calming
A () is a living street, as originally implemented in the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
and subsequently in Flanders
Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
(Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
). Techniques include shared space
Shared space is an urban design approach that minimises the segregation between modes of road user. This is done by removing features such as curb (road), curbs, road surface markings, traffic signs, and traffic lights. Hans Monderman and othe ...
, traffic calming
Traffic calming uses physical design and other measures to improve safety for motorists, car drivers, pedestrians and bicycle-friendly, cyclists. It has become a tool to combat speeding and other unsafe behaviours of drivers. It aims to encour ...
, and low speed limit
Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, express ...
s.
The term has been adopted directly by some English-language publications. In the United Kingdom, these areas are called home zone
A home zone (or play street) is a living street (or group of streets) as implemented in the United Kingdom, which are designed primarily to meet the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, children and residents and where the speeds and dominance of cars ...
s.
Etymology
The word, of Dutch origin, literally translates as or .History
Since the invention of automobiles, cities have been predominantly constructed to accommodate the use of automobiles.
The ''woonerf'' was created by residents of Delft who tore up pavement late at night to make it so cars had to drive slower to avoid the obstacles. The ''woonerven'' (plural) was incorporated into the national street design standards in 1976.
The entire locality of Emmen in the Netherlands was designed as a in the 1970s.
In 1999 the Netherlands had over 6000 and today around 2 million Dutch people are living in ''woonerven''. The benefits of the are promoted by , a network of professionals and residents.
In 2006 it was reported that people in Hesselterbrink, a neighborhood of Emmen, were disillusioned about how the principle had become another traffic engineering measure that "entailed precious little more than signs and uniform standards". They have now adopted the shared space
Shared space is an urban design approach that minimises the segregation between modes of road user. This is done by removing features such as curb (road), curbs, road surface markings, traffic signs, and traffic lights. Hans Monderman and othe ...
principles as a way of rethinking the . They are reported to "now know that car drivers should become residents. Eye contact and human interaction are more effective means to achieve and maintain attractive and safe areas than signs and rules".
Regulation
Belgium
Belgian traffic regulation (art. 2.32) defines the and the generic erf, and their traffic sign. The has a residential focus; the erf can have other primary uses like “crafts, trade, tourism, education and recreation”.
In art. 22bis, the Belgian traffic regulation describes what is and what isn’t allowed in a (woon)erf:
Netherlands
Under Article 44 of the Dutch traffic code, motorised traffic in a or "recreation area" is restricted to 15 km/h in the Netherlands.Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, June 2006 Accessed 7 February 2007.
Notes
Further reading
* * * * (about aBatavia, Illinois
Batavia () is a city mainly in Kane County, Illinois, Kane County and partly in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it was founded in 1833 and is the oldest city in Kan ...
, )
External links
Case Studies: Woonerf
at California Active Transportation Safety Information Pages (UC Berkeley)
What in the World is a Woonerf?
(Canin Associates) {{Road types Living streets Types of streets Types of roads Cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands Transportation planning Pedestrian streets in the Netherlands Traffic calming