Tactical urbanism in time of the Covid pandemic: first lessons of a multi-situated project

Keywords: covid19, cycling, coronalines, social practices
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Sunday
Session Start / End Time: 2/27/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/27/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 77

Abstract

The Covid-19 crisis prompted many public authorities to rethink public and road spaces to promote means of transport that are both efficient and adapted to the health context. The creation of cycle paths appeared as a simple and inexpensive way to meet health requirements while avoiding the negative consequences of a modal shift towards the automobile and of a desertion of public transport. While tactical urbanism referred first to grassroot movements, its principles have been adopted by public authorities with the objectives to test new layouts of streets, intersections or public spaces and to demonstrate or convince that alternatives are possible.
If the measures put in place in different metropolises seem close, both in material terms and through the communication orchestrated around them, the reasons which led to the creation of this tactical urbanism, the target audiences and the expected effects are different as the treatment of the health crisis has been confronted with unique spatial, social and political configurations. In this regard, studying tactical urban planning policies from March 2019 until now and its reception by the inhabitants of the cities sheds light on local dynamics in terms of mobility policies and social practices. In this presentation we will present some of the first results of the Véloctactique project, which through a pluri-disciplinary approach has built a comparison between 6 French cities, 3 Swiss cities and Montreal and Bogota.