NSW Movement and Place Framework: street environments
Movement and Place is a multidisciplinary and cross-government ‘place-based’ approach to the planning, design, delivery, and operation of transport networks. The framework delivers on NSW policy and strategy directions to create successful streets and roads by balancing the movement of people and goods with the amenity and quality of places. It recognises the value of the network of public spaces formed by streets and roads and the spaces they adjoin and impact.
This guide adopts the NSW Movement and Place Framework and aligns with the Practitioner’s Guide to Movement and Place. The Practitioner’s Guide introduces six steps in implementing a Movement and Place approach.
| Movement and Place core process | Network Planning in Precincts Guide principles |
|---|---|
Step 1: Establish the project scope, vision, objectives and evaluation criteria Step 2: Understand place Step 3: Understand movement | Principle 1: Identify the desired outcomes for the precinct Principle 2: Develop an urban structure that supports successful places and encourages walking, cycling, and public transport journeys Principle 3: Co-locate key land uses along priority walking, cycling and public transport corridors |
Step 4: Overlay and discuss conflicts, issues and opportunities Step 5: Develop options Step 6: Choose the preferred option. | Principle 4: Create a permeable network with a grid-like structure, short block length and high intersection density Principle 5: Enable connected, direct and comfortable walking and cycling movements on all corridors Principle 6: Plan public transport infrastructure, services and technology concurrently Principle 7: Accommodate the movement of goods, freight and urban services based on the desired place outcomes Principle 8: Design self-explaining street environments following the NSW Movement and Place Framework |
Table 2 Alignment between the Movement and Place approach and the principles in this guide
The NSW Movement and Place Framework defines four types of street environment that consider both the movement function and place intensity of a corridor (Figure 3).
Figure 3 Movement and Place street environments
- Civic spaces accommodate low movement function but high place intensity. These are streets at the heart of communities, with a significant meaning, activity function or built environment. They encourage people to interact with the surrounding streetscape through active frontages and space for dwelling – usually found in centres, community hubs and other significant destinations. Civic spaces prioritise walking and cycling, although some public transport and general traffic may be allowed in the space. The road treatments are designed to limit through-movements and reduce travel speed.
- Local streets accommodate low movement function and low place intensity. These are the majority of streets within the transport network, often with important local place qualities. They facilitate movements within a precinct, feeding into centres, public transport interchange locations as well as main streets and main roads. Local streets are usually focused on amenities to support walking and cycling activities, with some local public transport, last-mile freight and general traffic access.
- Main streets accommodate high movement function and high place intensity. In centres, they are usually important civic streets fronted with active uses such as retail and commercial buildings that also connect destinations and neighbourhoods. Main streets are often the most complex road environments, accommodating both movement and place, yet these are often the most iconic and valuable street environments. Due to the many competing movement and place needs, main streets should prioritise the most space-efficient modes such as walking, cycling and public transport, while high speed and volumes of freight and general traffic movements are generally discouraged. Road treatments should focus on facilitating movement that contributes to the high place intensity in main streets.
- Main roads accommodate high movement function but low place intensity. They facilitate through-movements and prioritise modes that enable longer journeys, such as freight, public transport and general traffic. Amenity and attractive design are considered. However, due to the higher speed environment, clearances and appropriate treatments are used to provide a safe environment for all road users.