Urban Works Institute
The Pitch
Supported by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, Urban Works Institute’s “Streets for People” program improved Chennai’s walkability and accessibility by transforming busy streets into pedestrian-safe pathways and creating new public spaces.
The Problem
Chennai’s car-centric streets not only led to a lack of safe pedestrian and bike infrastructure but also created traffic congestion and worsened air quality—disproportionately impacting the city’s most vulnerable communities: women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
The Process
- Redesigned streets to be safe and accessible for pedestrians by creating wider, pedestrian-designated sidewalks
- Improved access to public transport by adding new, safer bus stops
- Opened its first pedestrian plaza in 2019, transforming a busy commercial street into a walkable promenade for shoppers
- Implemented a new parking program that charges a fee to dissuade vehicle use; money from the fees is used to fund the transformation of an additional 25 kilometers of streets
- Adopted an integrated utility management approach that reduces maintenance needs and costs
- Used flexible pipes to protect existing and future trees
- Planted native trees along walkways to improve shade cover
- Built capacity of city officials to design public spaces
- Embedded pedestrian-focused street design policies and guidelines in city codes
- Encouraged participatory planning with communities
The Impact
- Became the first city in India to adopt a non-motorized transport policy
- Improved walking infrastructure on 16% of its primary streets, making 300 bus stops and 60 schools more accessible
- Increased foot traffic by up to 250% on transformed streets
- Influenced the creation of Chennai’s ”Mega Streets” program: Introduced in 2020, it aims to double Chennai’s walkable street network and continue the momentum of the “Streets for People” program by transforming 1000 kilometers of road into pedestrian-friendly zones and creating six new public spaces
- Developed partnerships with subnational and national entities to share knowledge and best practices: Chennai supports Chennai Metro Rail Limited and Tamil Nadu’s Department of Highways and Minor Ports to implement street transformations of their own
