Human Speed: Human Speed: A City Planner’s Evolution From A Daily Driver To A Multimodal Traveler

Join city planner Mark R. Brown, AICP, on an inspiring and transformative journey that challenges the very foundations of his profession. This thought-provoking book explores the profound impact that going car free has on one man's perspective, offering valuable insights for transportation planners, policy makers, and anyone passionate about the future of our cities and our transportation systems.

Mark R. Brown was a new city planner, entrenched in the world of traffic studies and auto-oriented projects. But when he gave up his car because of chronic repairs, he embarked on a remarkable personal experiment that would forever alter his perception of our streets and cities. "Human Speed" is the compelling narrative of his journey from a car-dependent city planner to a passionate advocate for Complete Streets and sustainable, multimodal places.

"Human Speed" includes:

1. A Personal Transformation: Follow Mark as he navigates the challenges of public transportation, cycling, and walking in cities designed for cars. His experiences highlight the obstacles faced by car-free individuals and shed light on the untapped potential of urban spaces. As he becomes more active, he becomes healthier as well, and wonders why more people don't live a car free lifestyle. This leads him to discover the barriers facing people who walk, bike or ride transit in the U.S.
2. Reevaluating Transportation Planning: As Mark's perspective evolves, so does his approach to planning. He begins to question the conventional wisdom of prioritizing cars over pedestrians and cyclists, advocating for human-centric urban design that prioritizes accessibility, sustainability, and quality of life. He realizes many of the projects he worked on completely ignored the needs of people who travel outside of automobiles.
3. Case Studies and Success Stories: "Human Speed" offers in-depth case studies of cities and neighborhoods that have successfully embraced Complete Streets. Learn from real-world examples how cities can adapt to create more walkable, bikeable, and livable environments. Complete streets are also safe streets, and reducing roadway fatalities has become a primary concern for planners and policy makers.
4. Community Engagement: Discover how Mark's personal journey fosters community engagement and empowers citizens to take an active role in shaping street design. Transformative roadway changes can happen because of involved citizens, progressive municipal leadership and innovative designs.
5. A Vision for the Future: "Human Speed" doesn't just critique the status quo; it offers a compelling vision for the future of transportation planning. Mark's journey serves as a call to action for planners, policymakers, and citizens alike to work together in reimagining our cities as vibrant, people-oriented communities.