The webinar “Streets as Places: An LQC Approach to Making Streets Vibrant and Active” focused on the new concept of Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper (LQC) interventions to change the built environment to promote physical activity. These interventions are based on the idea of placemaking, or creating public spaces where people want to be. In the U.S., historically we have not done a great job of making these kinds of spaces. The idea behind placemaking is that people will often spend more time in a place that offers them things to do, comfortable places to sit or do other activities, and that provide a sense of community. These characteristics also help to improve the built environment for physical activity in such spaces. LQC interventions are currently being used across the country for their placemaking abilities.
As previously mentioned, LQC interventions are not necessarily permanent changes to an environment, but rather a temporary change that allows the community to see the potential in its public spaces. These interventions can be extremely simple in nature such as marking a bike lane with decorative cones, making parklets, reducing street crossing distances using paint, and creating hay bale roundabouts. In general, a public space lends itself to an LQC intervention if there are 10 things to do, such as: sit and relax, read a book, take a walk, window shop, ride a bike, etc. By implementing “light” changes such as adding benches or greenery, slowing vehicle speeds, and adding temporary crosswalks or bike lanes, people begin to see the street as a place to gather and spend time together, rather than just a road for automobiles. In the grand scheme of placemaking, these LQC experiments act as part of a greater feedback loop which allows for reactions from the community to improve upon the existing environment.
Cathy Costakis of Montana State University is an expert in working to improve physical activity and the built environment in rural communities. She explains that while many people think it is difficult to increase physical activity in rural areas, the small nature of the towns is ideal for promoting walking and bicycling. While there are some challenges such as reduced capacity, cultural norms of using automobiles, and reduced funding, the opportunities for change in these communities are large given the strong leadership and close-knit nature of such places. For the past 5 years, Montana’s Building Active Communities Initiative has provided training and a guided action institute for communities who want to learn more about improving the built environment to promote physical activity. In it’s most recent version, the Institute has focused on increasing community involvement and engagement through the use of LQC interventions. These interventions have taken off in many communities in the form of temporary crosswalks, pop-up bike lanes, parklets, and a bike to school day.
LQC interventions are an extremely effective way to begin improving the built environment to support physical activity. These experiments allow communities to re-imagine their streets as places for people, not just cars.
These LQC interventions seem like a great way to make actual change. Behavioral change can only occur when a person is motivated and wants to change. The LQC interventions not only provide motivation, but they do so in a very positive manner, which will probably work better than negative campaigns. It would be interesting to see how LQC interventions are utilized in different fields of study, such as nutrition. Would replacing unhealthy choices in vending machines be considered an LQC intervention? Regardless, these seem like great interventions that can easily be used in all communities and areas to promote behavior change.
Ginny,
Very interesting topic and something I hope to see continue to grow.
I like how LQC interventions focus on promoting more physical activity, as well as safety aspects, like showing vehicle’s speed, well painted crosswalks and bike lanes, and creating lighter places where people want to be. Rural communities bring a separate challenge to this because many individuals are so spread out and do not have as many common meeting areas or cross-points.
Do you think that the LQC interventions have become popular primarily because of the obesity/inactivity rates in the US, or because of the environmentalists “reduce, reuse, recycle” push to save money and use our land smarter? If both, would one outweigh another?