Streets hold important place in urban dynamics.

• Position: News & Numbers - Brief article

As cities have expanded, the way they use land has changed, in terms of both form and structure. Streets, as public spaces, have become less important in terms of their share of land and in the prominence of their role in shaping the culture and history of cities, according to Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of Urban Prosperity, a paper form the UN Habitat for a Better Urban Future. Another finding: Prosperous cities recognize the relevance of public spaces that are properly laid out and allocate enough land to street development, including sufficient crossings along an appropriate lengthy network.

Streets should be counted as public space, just like parks and plazas, the paper argues, suggesting that together, they should make up 45 to 50 percent of a city's land area, with 30 to 35 percent of the area occupied by streets and 15 to 20 percent open space. A lower percentage of streets leads to congestion problems and is also correlated with less prosperity. Cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles, which...