Sidewalks: Safety & Contact
In Jane Jacobs' book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, she discusses the various uses of city sidewalks. Sidewalks are vital to the interconnectedness and the operation of American cities. The selected pieces from Jacobs book focus on safety and contact within said sidewalks.
Safety is an ever-growing public concern. Jacobs states that via sidewalks, people can feel either secure or threatened within a city. The sidewalks that have a purpose - the ones that people have a reason to use - provide the most safety for its residents, visitors, and commuters. In the city, fear is not isolated to a single area, but rather integrated into all parts; it is dispersed throughout the slums and residential neighborhoods. High-traffic sidewalks increase security.
Security not only depends on high-traffic usage, but also on surveillance of an area. Police are reactive, not proactive. In order for the peace to be kept, citizens and visitors must take on the role of watching over the streets. Safety is supported by a system of social networks. Daily contacts that are made through shops, businesses, and the streets insure the city's security.
Allison