Customer Reviews

The Boulevard Book: History, Evolution, Design of Multiway Boulevards

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This book belongs in the library of people who enjoyed GREAT STREETS by Allan Jacobs, et al, or anyone who designs modern streets. The authors have researched boulevards extensively, including their safety and utility.

If you are interested in the topic, a video is available about the authors' research from the Institute of Urban and Regional Development of the University of California at Berkeley -- 510-642-5233. It believe it is called, "Boulevards: Great Streets for Great Cities."

This is such an interesting book. Boulevards have been neglected for several generations because they somehow didn't fit into the vocabulary used by traffic engineers. But thanks to Allan and Elizabeth, we know that they are extremely efficient ways of carrying traffic and creating safe pewdestrian environments and that they creat beautiful cities. Look at Paris, Barcelona, Melbourne and even Chico!
Really nice drawings. The book is a delight top behold.

Jacobs and Macdonald have created a great resource for people who recognize that streets can and must do more than convey cars. I get to see Chico's Esplanade everyday. Others will have to be satisfied with the book's wonderful treatment the Esplanade gets along side its big brothers in Barcelona and Paris.

This is simply an interesting book. I love the descriptions and the drawings. I understand the author's enthusiasm for great streets and boulevards. Much of what makes these great is the atmosphere (shops, restaurants, pedestrians, bustling activity). I agree. However, this book as well as many other publications out there regarding streets, traffic calming, automobile dependance,etc all seem to forget that streets are primarily for cars. The author is worried about the survival of one of the Spanish boulevards due to its emphasis on carrying traffic.

Don't misunderstand me here. I'm all for traffic calming, neghborhood traffic management, cozy streets with many pedestrians, sidewalk cafes, and reducing the dependance on automobiles. As a traffic engineer, I need to consider what the streets are built for. The priority for some roadways is to move traffic, while others should accommodate vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and a great atmosphere while maintaining safety. I feel many books, such as this one, expose us to great examples and ideas, but unfairly use traffic engineers as scapegoats for urban sprawl and the destruction of our urban landscape. Believe it or not, but some traffic engineers consider qualitative design aspects besides quantitative design aspects.

I like the book, but I'm getting frustrated by architects, planners, and others criticizing transportation without much understanding or technical background. I'm sure most architects don't appreciate the laymen criticizing their works.