Measuring and Evaluating Streets

Cities must set new goals for their streets to meet the many demands placed upon them. Measuring the success of each street project requires a multidisciplinary and multiscalar approach and methodology so that the many benefits of street projects may be captured. For decades, streets have been evaluated based on the movement of vehicles and the safety of drivers, but the true mobility function of a street can only be measured when the safety and movement of all users are considered.

Beyond mobility, cities must evaluate completed street projects to understand whether investments support the larger goals and policies of public health and safety, quality of life, environmental and economic sustainability, and equity. Measuring the physical and operational changes of a street project and documenting the shifts in use and function of the space allows the larger impacts of a project to be tracked over time. The evaluation of completed projects informs the design of future streets and is therefore vital to building public and political support for change.