COVID-19 streets: Mobility justice and the rapid rollout of pedestrian and bicyclist improvements

This study analyzed the impacts of rapid-rollout shared streets programs implemented in response to changes in travel demand brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Shared streets are those that have been converted to pedestrian- and bicycle-priority zones using temporary materials, typically involving some sort of traffic calming or diversion. The research sought to understand the impacts of these shared streets on pedestrians and cyclists, with respect to safety, equity, and mobility by (1) comparing pedestrian and bicycle traffic volumes in nine treatment cities—cities that implemented robust shared streets programs during and because of the pandemic—and seven peer control cities, and (2) exploring the motivations, planning processes, and outcomes of shared streets in the treatment cities.