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Sunday Video: Narrowing Streets in North America

Stephen Fesler - July 02, 2023

North American cities are known for their wide, gridded streets which stand in stark contrast to European city streets that tend to be narrower and more organic. Those narrower European streets also tend be more pleasant and dense, often with a mix of uses. But American streets weren’t always so wide and full of monoculture uses. Dave Amos of City Beautiful takes a step back in time and examines what it might take to bring back narrow streets in American cities — beyond existing grid patterns, there are real regulatory obstacles to change.