46: On the Way or Already There?
What if we dropped the pseudo-word “roading” from Auckland’s vernacular?
Roads are on the way somewhere; streets are already somewhere.
This simple difference in understanding and perspective between movement and place often results in very different outcomes when it comes to transportation, public realm and place-making.
In Auckland we have done a lot of the former. In fact the (non)term “roading” seems to be a bit of an NZ-special; it isn’t really a word and isn’t used as such in other countries. Which says a lot. Wouldn’t it be good if we could recognise the value of place more, and thereby have a more sophisticated conversation about the need to balance movement with place?
Processing...
Why not call them “Vehicle Parking Precincts for Ponsonby Princesses”. Some residents seem to think that the “street/road/boulevard/avenue/whatever” is there own private property..
Legally Roads are in counties (most now called districts ? ) and Streets are in cities and boroughs. That is why Victoria Street in Cambridge becomes Victoria Road near Taylor St because that was the old borough / county boundary. The whole thing has become blurred now but generally private access roads are called Lanes
If everyone using this blog would start using roads as a generic term it would a long way toward phasing out roading. which spell check doesn’t like, either.