Rue Sous le Fort, Quebéc City
Traditional cities and towns contained streets and spaces of a variety of sizes. Wide boulevards and plazas hosted grand public ceremonies and celebrations. Adjacent residential neighborhoods contained a mix of streets. Mid-sized streets and squares created spaces for homes, shops and public buildings. Small side streets nurtured spaces for raising families and small businesses.
In the 20th century, zoning and fire codes prioritized the car above all other modes of transportation, especially walking. We have outlawed small streets, and in the process lost an essential element of our cities and towns.
Small Streets advocates for a return of the balanced city, focused on preserving our historic small streets and reintroducing new small streets to our communities.
- Learn more about small streets and their benefits
- Find out about small streets in your community
- Read the Small Streets Blog
- Join us to enrich your community with Small Streets.