Green Daily

While we often hear a lot of talk about public transportation, replacing cars with bikes, getting rid of surface traffic, and so on, how many of us have ever actually imagined what it would be like to live in a world where cars, trucks, and bicycles co-existed safely and peacefully? More to the point, how could we design streets, intersections, pathways and neighborhoods that would make this sort of coexistence possible?

Last week, Transportation Alternatives, a New York-based advocacy group for non-automotive transportation, opened that very question up to public debate. They announced that they are holding a competition for the best post-automotive street design. The contest, "Designing the 21st Century Street," asks competitors to redesign the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street in Brooklyn. This intersection is a dangerous, neighborhood-disrupting mess, and represents exactly the sort of challenge that Transportation Alternatives hopes can be overcome through intelligent planning and a more effective use of resources.

The competition is open to any and all interested parties, and the top prize is $6,000. Participants must enter by July 18, and all submissions must by received by August 18. If you have a plan for the future, this might be the perfect way to get it out there!