TACTICAL URBANISM

ABOUT

Tactical urbanism is a low-cost, short-term approach designed to change the overall use and feel of streets and public spaces. These projects are often used to advance longer-term goals related to street safety and the design of public spaces. Tactical urbanism is temporary in nature, using tactical materials while demonstrating the potential of long-term change.

The Tactical Urbanism Guide was created by the Department of City Planning and Atlanta Department of Transportation to provide communities, organizations, and businesses with tools to lead, fund, and implement interventions within the right-of-way to catalyze change in the public realm.

If your community is interested in implementing tactical urbanism, first, review the Tactical Urbanism Guide to get a good idea of allowable project types and where they can be implemented, as well as process requirements.

CITY DESIGN CORE VALUES

All Office of Design initiatives incorporate at least one of the Atlanta City Design core values.

WHY IS TACTICAL URBANISM IMPORTANT?

Tactical urbanism provides an opportunity for communities, businesses, grassroots organizations, or other similar entities to lead and fund interventions within the public right-of way to catalyze change in the public realm. Safe streets and a vibrant public realm are priorities for the City of Atlanta.

The City is exploring opportunities such as tactical urbanism to bring projects to life quickly, while also giving residents, businesses, and the City an opportunity to experience and evaluate projects before committing to long-term investments. This guide provides insight into the process established by the City to implement tactical urbanism projects.

TACTICAL URBANISM PROJECTS ARE USED TO:

  • Improve safety for the city’s most vulnerable roadway users: pedestrians and bicyclists

  • Create a vibrant public realm and encourage public life

  • Deepen the understanding of needs, priorities, and desires at the neighborhood or block scale

  • Inspire action and change

  • Broaden public engagement and encourage collaboration between local communities and government

  • Test various interventions and designs and evaluate outcomes

  • Gather and analyze data from actual uses of public spaces

TACTICAL URBANISM IN ACTION:

Love Our Places: uses tactical urbanism principles to re-imagine Atlanta’s public realm for people.

Vision Zero: is the approach used by the Atlanta Department of Transportation to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries through safer street design.

Tactical Urbanism Permit Review: is the process by which the public applies for a permit for a tactical urbanism project. The guide provides an overview of the permitting process and a list of requirements for permitted projects to be built.