THREAD: For many of us in Railton, living in an LTN is a totally new experience -- one that can be a bit daunting!

Luckily, others have been doing it for awhile. And in Life in a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, they've shared just what it's like... https://www.womeninurban.org.nz/lifeinalowtrafficneighbourhood

The joy of reduced traffic noise is the most common observation amongst people living in a low traffic neighbourhood. Most hadn't even noticed how much the sound of constant traffic had been stressing them out until it wasn't there anymore!

Instead of the dull roar of traffic, residents' ears were treated with the sound of birdsong, of neighbours chatting, of children playing. Conversations became easier, particular for older people who found it harder to hear in general.

But the LTN wasn't just a gift for the ears, it was also a gift for the soul.

Residents reported feeling more relaxed and less rushed when walking. Less traffic meant they didn't need to be so alert and vigilant and instead could relax and simply enjoy their stroll.

Feeling safer and more relaxed when walking was a common experience, and was even more noticeable for people who had young children, who suddenly didn't feel the need to ‘hold their kids ultra-tight’ to keep them safe when on the street.

This change in the need for hyper-vigilance meant that family trips on foot or on bike that previously felt impossible now felt joyous. Kids were able to be more independent, and grown-ups were able to enjoy each other's company for once!

But it wasn't just the pavements that changed. Diversity in cycling improved too! A lot of people reported cycling for the first time in their neighbourhood or cycling more than usual, because they felt much safer with lower traffic volumes

One theme that kept coming up again and again was how nice it was to see kids out on bikes, either learning or riding confidently. It's like that imagestriggers something in our brains that says "this is a great community!"

But wait, there's more! Runners enjoyed having more space to exercise. The air felt fresher and cleaner and people felt free to open their windows and breathe in the outside world.

The perception that their neighbourhood felt ‘friendlier’ was another major theme in the research. People liked seeing more people from their neighbourhood; felt the quality of interaction between people had improved and that there was more ‘community spirit’

It wasn't all rosy though. While the number of cars greatly reduced in an LTN, lots of residents noted that the cars that were still around seemed to be more likely to be speeding. Something any LTN will have to have a plan for counteracting!

Does this neighbourhood sound like the kind you want to live in? Well, good news, if you're in Railton -- this future is already here.

Have you noticed similar changes in the Railton area? Let us know below

And a big thank you to @WomenInUrbanism for pulling together this report.

Here's hoping we have similar data to share in a few months!