Woonerf street in Dutch neighborhood

The Good Street: A New Methodology for Balancing Place and Flow

International urban design consultant Lennart Nout explains the Dutch method for balancing conflicts between urban vibrancy and traffic flow, and between different modes of transportation.

Lennart Nout
Taught By Lennart Nout
  • Preview Course PREVIEW

Course Info

  • Duration 7 video lessons (55 Mins)
  • Published Published
    2025
  • Trending Trending
  • 4.63
Play Video

Preview Course Preview Course

Browse Course Chapters

  • Chapter Locked
    1.
    Introduction
    Chapter Duration 7 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    2.
    What is the Good Street?
    Chapter Duration 10 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    3.
    Principles of the Good Street
    Chapter Duration 7 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    4.
    Network Level
    Chapter Duration 12 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    5.
    Street Level
    Chapter Duration 8 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    6.
    Place-value Assessment
    Chapter Duration 5 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    7.
    Conclusion
    Chapter Duration 4 mins

What You Will Learn

  1. Learners will understand, apply and be able to communicate the logic of a systematic tool for determining the overall design of a street based on its role within a road hierarchy and place value.
  2. Participants will be able to make an informed decision on roadway allocation based on the place and flow functions of a street.
  3. Learners will practice engaging with a systematic tool for grouping modes and vehicles based on evidence and the concept of kinetic energy.
  4. Learners will practice making the case for design recommendations based on the Good Street using persuasive writing and countering common counter-arguments drawn from practice.

Course Description

The ‘Good Street’ is a comprehensive method for making decisions about what a street should offer to those moving through it or spending time on it and how a balance can be struck between these competing demands. It is a working model for making decisions and guiding the development of an evidence-based design based on Dutch principles. Students will review the conceptual underpinnings of this method (such as reconciling ‘place’ and ‘flow’ functions within a network perspective) and will be guided through the steps that lead to concrete design outcomes. They will also be introduced to the concept of vehicle families (grouping vehicles and modes based on their kinetic potential) as a flexible and resilient basis for governing modes within the ever-changing mobility system. Students will learn how to use a Place Rating Tool to assess the initial state of a candidate street as preparation for the Good Street method, how to balance and resolve conflicting demands for space between the place function and the flow function, and how to make an informed decision on which vehicles to mix and which to separate, based on science and physical characteristics.

Learn these skills

  • Bicycle Planning
  • Parking
  • Pedestrian Planning
  • Transportation
  • Urban Design
  • Urbanism
  • Walkability

AICP CM

This course is approved for 1 AICP CM credit.

AIA CES

This course is 1 LU.

Meet Your Instructor

Lennart Nout

Lennart Nout

Lennart is an urban mobility design consultant, specializing in design and planning of bicycle networks and infrastructure in urban areas. He works for Mobycon, an international urban mobility consulting firm.

Meet Instructor

Master Urban Planning Skills With A Planetizen Courses Subscription.

Try Free Courses
Computer

High quality video lessons developed by experts.

Analytics

Complete course work to receive a certificate from Planetizen.

Certificate

Test your comprehension with course quizzes.

Cloud

Access reading lists, articles, and other materials prepared by instructors.