Streetsblog posted a story today about "second generation" traffic calming at
an intersection in New York. A "mental speed block" -- a sculpture in the middle of the road -- was erected in Brooklyn. The intent of this kind of traffic calming is to create "intrigue and uncertainty" along the roadway.
"The reason great intersections work is because of the creation of a pedestrian realm where the cars know this. When streets become unsafe, it is almost always when the pedestrian realm does not exist."
In the name of mobility, transportation planners have forgotten to create and support destinations, and have instead often degraded existing destinations along the way. Mobility may be increasing, but we are accomplishing less and less while moving around more and more.