Enhancing San Francisco's Slow Streets: Community-Centered Design for Improved Wayfinding, Safety, and User Satisfaction
Project Overview
The Slow Street case study highlights research on user experiences, community roles, and the impact of Slow Streets as social spaces/ Third Places.
Key Task
Led UX research and design for the Slow Street initiative over 8 weeks, focusing on user experience and community engagement.
Year & Duration
Year: 2023
Duration: 8 weeks
Role (Academic Project)
Lead UX Researcher and Designer (Team of 3)
Toolkit: AutoCAD, Dovetail, Figma, Google Analytics, Survey Monkey
Context
Slow Streets in SF lack clear communication, leading to user confusion and inconsistent engagement with the intended pedestrian-friendly spaces.
Filmore District : Page Slow Street
Golden Gate Avenue Slow Street
Desk Research Insights
(View Detailed Document)
Inconsistent signage and design elements, such as street art and potted plants, reduce way-finding effectiveness by 25%, causing user confusion and undermining navigation confidence.
(Source)
A 30% reduction in vehicle speeds and a 40% increase in perceived safety can be achieved through cohesive traffic calming measures, green spaces, and consistent design elements.
(Source)We Interviewed Residents, non-residing Users and the Leadership of SF Slow Streets to find out more about what wasn’t working.
How might we enhance the usability and safety of Slow Streets for community interaction and active transportation?
Problem Statement
The Slow Street experience
SF Slow Streets waveline shows Alex's experience intensity & desirability. Peaks & troughs identify positive & negative touchpoints: pedestrian priority, greenery, community engagement, bike-friendliness, public art, & accessibility.
Identified opportunity areas
(1) Enhanced Pedestrian Experience: Limited pedestrian space and sparse greenery.
Opportunity: Improve pedestrian experience by restricting vehicular traffic and adding more green spaces.
(2) Bike-Friendliness: Bike safety concerns and insufficient dedicated lanes.
Opportunity: Promote sustainable transportation and increase safety for cyclists.
(3) Public Art and Cultural Initiatives: Lack of public art and artistic engagement.
Opportunity: Establish the street as an artistic and cultural hub.
(4) Improved Public Transportation Access: Limited public transportation hubs and accessibility concerns.
Opportunity: Enhance connectivity with public transportation.
Solution Directions:
(1) Physical Solutions: To enhance the visual appeal, usability, and safety of Slow Streets, creating a more inviting and navigable environment for pedestrians and cyclists.
(2) Digital Solutions: To ensures broader accessibility and engagement, providing real-time information and guidance to diverse users.
(3) Strategic Solutions: To increasing public awareness and incentivizing sustainable transportation behaviors through targeted campaigns and reward systems integrated into the app.
(1) Physical Touch-points Signages
NEW
OLD
Uncluttered Iconography for better Legibility
Attention grabbing Signage
Having street paintings/Murals naturally slows down traffic,
it probes people to know you should not be driving on artwork! Here’s how we envisioned a well implemented Slow Street.
collared sitting bench installationInstalling bike lanes distinct from parking lanesClear Signages at intersectionsClear Signages at intersectionsFlower beds/additional landscaping to attract walkers and create additional barricadingRedirection Signages for tarfficSemi-permanentStreet Art
One-way only(2) Proposing a Digital App
(3) Activation Strategy
Personal Learning
The Slow Street project highlighted the importance of community engagement, consistent design elements, and strategic planning in creating safe and effective public spaces.
Key learnings include:
The need for clear, uniform signage to guide users and ensure safety.
The role of greenery and beautification in enhancing the user experience.
The importance of community feedback in shaping and refining public space initiatives.
Leveraging digital tools to enhance engagement and provide real-time information.