Tactic 23: Green Streets

A green street integrates natural elements and green infrastructure to enhance urban ecosystems, including stormwater management techniques such as bioswales, permeable pavements, and native vegetation. These streets prioritise multimodal and non-motorised transportation, promote biodiversity, mitigate urban heat islands, and contribute to the social and recreational value of urban environments.

In informal settlements, in some instances, the road is the only public space available for residents. Over time, construction activities have shrunk green and public spaces in urban areas. This tactic supports the incorporation of more landscape design on streets in informal settlements, for the tremendous benefits listed below:

Improve the amount of shade in our streets, especially for pedestrians and cyclists;
Improve the street aesthetics;
Increase our carbon sinks and reduce air pollution;
As illustrated in the figure below, allocating a green zone along the street can be an ideal way of separating Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) and Motorised Transport (MT) zones;
Green zones also aid in the evacuation of stormwater runoff and increase resilience to flooding.

References

The Challenge

The continued shrinking of green spaces in our urban areas, particularly in informal settlements, continues to reduce the available recreational space, increase air pollution, reduce carbon sinks and diminish flood resilience in these areas. Space is limited in informal settlements, and the preservation or inclusion of green zones is often not prioritised.

One advantage of green streets is that they have a cooling effect as a result of shading, which makes it more comfortable for pedestrians and cyclists to use the streets, especially during hot weather. Green streets would thus be ideal in informal settlements since the modal share of most residents is walking.

Informal settlements often also deal with flooding, and increasing plant life helps reduce the effects of flooding. Moreover, increasing green zones along the streets reduces stormwater runoff due to infiltration.

The use of the green streets tactic as a guide when implementing infrastructure could improve the greenery and the existing knowledge on which trees can be retained and planted along the streets without damaging the infrastructure.

Green streets can improve the safety of our streets. Greenery can be used to separate the MT and NMT zones, helping reduce modular conflict between motorised and non-motorised traffic, and serve as an ideal barrier that prevents MT from encroaching on NMT zones. Greenery can also be used for flood management.

The green streets tactic advocates planting trees and plants as we implement our streets and incorporating existing trees into the design to ensure their preservation.

This protects the natural ecosystems and the environment and reduces the greenhouse effect by ensuring carbon sinks' availability.

The green streets tactic advocates collaboration and co-design since locals can plant trees, landscape green zones, and maintain them.

Training on the value of greenery would impact the locals helping nature with the green zones and the trees where it is impossible to implement the green zones in their areas.

Green streets are a key aspect of complete streets in urban areas. Implementing complete streets improves the liveability and quality of life of our urban areas and cities.

Key concepts

Green Streets include landscaping, trees and plant life for urban streets and roads. The main themes and benefits of this tactic include:

Streets that incorporate landscaping, especially tree cover, have more shading compared to streets with no trees. Shading reduces the temperature on the streets making walking and cycling more comfortable, especially during hot weather, encouraging more people to choose walking and cycling as a mode. In informal settlements, where most residents are financially restrained and thus have to walk, the shading of their walkways makes their journeys more bearable.
In informal settlements, green streets integrate stormwater management through low-cost, nature-based solutions such as bioswales, infiltration trenches, and permeable pavements. These features help reduce localised flooding and improve water quality by capturing and filtering runoff, while also addressing common issues of poor drainage infrastructure. For more information on this type of urban drainage for informal settlements, refer to the 3iF Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) tactic.
Green streets in informal settlements can enhance mobility by incorporating pedestrian pathways, cycle lanes, and shared spaces, designed to prioritise safe and equitable access for all users. This approach reduces reliance on motorised vehicles, encourages active transportation, promotes small businesses, and creates a more connected and accessible urban fabric in underserved areas. For more information on people-centred streets, refer to the 3iF Streets for People tactic.
Green Streets advocates for landscaping, planting more trees, and protecting the existing trees in the environment. This leads to more carbon sinks and effectively reduces the effect of carbon emissions on our environment. Green streets also improve our streets' aesthetic value and liveability and control erosion. Adopting this tactic will thus lead to an improved environment and better streets for everyone.

How To

Planning &
Design

The adoption of Green Streets as a guide during planning and design ensures the incorporation of landscaping during infrastructure development in the following ways:

Participatory Planning: Involve residents, local leaders, Civil society organisations (CSOs) and stakeholders from the beginning to ensure the project aligns with current initiatives and community aspirations, as well as to foster a sense of ownership which will ensure any implemented green streets are embraced by the residents.

Awareness and Education: Educate the community about the benefits of green streets, including improved air quality, flood control, and enhanced public spaces.
Site Analysis: Map the settlement to identify existing streets, pathways, drainage patterns, and vegetation.

Infrastructure Audit: Evaluate current drainage systems, waste management, and road conditions.

Environmental Considerations: Assess local climate, soil conditions for planting, and natural hazards like flooding or erosion.
As much as possible, incorporate existing trees into the design to avoid the tree felling that usually occurs during road construction.
Allocate spaces for landscaping during planning and design. These spaces could be the remaining sections of the RoW when streets are implemented as shown in the photo below.
Factor in landscaping/ tree cover during planning and design, and the costs incurred will be considered in the final project costs, making it easier to implement. The landscaping factor is often an afterthought and implemented as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In some cases, it is left out, especially in projects that are not flexible to accommodate the variation in costs.

Implementation & Use

Flexible Design: Develop adaptable designs that can fit the irregular layouts of informal settlements.

Nature-Based Infrastructure (NBI): Incorporate bioswales, permeable pavements, rain gardens, and vegetation to manage stormwater and reduce urban heat.

Multi-Purpose Features: Combine green infrastructure with social amenities, like shaded seating areas, play spaces, or market areas to encourage social and economic activity.
Ensure green streets provide adequate shade to improve the aesthetic value of the street, improving users' comfort (pedestrians and cyclists). With many people in informal settlements walking as their primary mode of transportation, using this tactic while implementing projects will thus improve users' quality of life in our urban areas. The improved aesthetic value of our streets will also contribute significantly to the improved quality of life.
Focus on designs that will optimise the environmental benefits of green streets, reducing air pollution, increasing carbon sinks, and building and improving stormwater evacuating zones which could significantly reduce stormwater overflow and flooding on the streets.
Local Materials: Use cost-effective and locally available materials to reduce costs and increase feasibility.

Community Involvement: Hire and train community members to help with construction and maintenance.

Governance & Policy

The Physical Planning Handbook provides guidelines on landscaping and tree cover, mainly on streets and roads. It also recommends adequate landscaping on footpaths and cycle tracks. The draft updated Road Design Manual (RDM) 1.3 (April 2024) incorporates some landscaping provisions despite not being comprehensive.

Maintenance Plans: Develop clear maintenance protocols together with the community, and train local residents to sustain the infrastructure.

Education Programs: Offer education on managing waste, maintaining vegetation, and preventing pollution.
More policies and legislation are needed to ensure an increase in green streets in our urban areas. Gather institutional support for integration of initiatives into broader municipal plans to ensure long-term support.
Performance Metrics: Track metrics such as reduced flooding, improved air quality, and increased use of public spaces.

Community Feedback: Continuously gather input from residents to address any challenges and adapt solutions.

Share Successes: Document and share outcomes to inspire replication in other areas.

As we move towards practices that help combat and adapt to climate change, implementing climate-resilient infrastructure is critical and the Green Streets tactic helps promote that. Transportation is one of the leading contributors to carbon emissions in our environment. As earlier indicated, more green streets result in more carbon sinks in our urban areas and a reduction in the effect of carbon emissions on the environment.

Consequently, new policies and legislation on climate change and the environment could also adopt the Green Streets tactic to promote compliance and implementation further.