First name:
Travis
Last name:
Tran
Class Year:
2022
Advisor:
Alan Plattus
Essay Abstract:
As the COVID19 pandemic emerged and accelerated in spring 2020, cities around the world developed creative solutions to keep services open while protecting public health. This essay explores New Haven’s response to the pandemic, specifically how the city repurposes streets for human-centered uses, such as expanded outdoor dining, rather than car domination. Two frameworks, tactical and biophilic urbanism, are tools the city can use to recover from the pandemic stronger, more lively, resilient, and sustainable than before. Interviews with five city stakeholders/decisionmakers produce valuable insight into their pandemic response, current projects, and New Haven’s future.
From interviews, all stakeholders are excited about and support reclaiming street space or shutting down sections of streets for expanded outdoor dining. They believe doing so increases vibrancy and proves tactical interventions are successful. A significant challenge to reclaiming streets is providing parking for people who desire to park their vehicle adjacent to or extremely close to their destination. Biophilic urbanism is new to all stakeholders and there is significant room to integrate nature into downtown New Haven. I apply tactical and biophilic urbanism in three recommendations that will increase quality-of-life and address climate change.