Park(ing) Day 2020

What do you get when you prioritize people over cars? That’s a question we address every year when we participate in Park(ing) Day, an annual event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to transform parking spaces into temporary public places (otherwise known as “parklets”). The ideas it generates often lead to lasting, albeit slowly implemented, change. But this year, we didn’t just influence future change—we created something permanent.

Our Birmingham office partnered with its local ASLA chapter, REV Birmingham and the City of Birmingham to install a permanent streetscape update on a quarter block of 20th Street North in downtown Birmingham. The streetscape design is a test site that shows how the city can reclaim pedestrian space.

We filled and regraded parking spaces with crushed gravel to expand the sidewalk into a patio space, giving businesses along 20th Street North more room to provide socially distanced seating for customers. With new planters and moveable furnishings, the space feels welcoming and is safe from street traffic. Planter beds were updated with low-maintenance, native plants, which soften the urban streetscape.

A bike lane and flexible loading zone were painted onto the street with temporary paint to provide proof of concept. The flex zone can be used for food trucks, as a loading zone, or even for valet parking.

The space was an immediate draw for passersby who recognized the positive changes to the streetscape. Before the installation was even completed, people were already sitting at the tables, enjoying food from nearby restaurants, and commenting on how they wished the rest of the street was like this.

So, what do you get when prioritize people over cars? Extended public spaces, higher revenue for local businesses, and a more active community. All in a day’s work.