Low Traffic Neighborhoods
Our residential streets should prioritize residents.
What if you could snap your fingers and make the streets by your home calmer, quieter, and more local? That’s the goal of Low Traffic Neighborhoods. Right now, cut-through traffic—driving that isn’t going to or coming from the area—is clogging our local streets. These drivers don’t live or work in the neighborhood and they’re not visiting anyone; they’ve veered off the bigger roads and onto your local street to avoid congestion or find a shortcut (apps like Waze and Maps have made the problem worse). This type of traffic accounts for a lot of the cars you encounter—as much as 90% in some areas.
The vast majority of New Yorkers don’t drive a car daily, but their residential streets are filled with moving cars. LTNs reroute that through-traffic back onto bigger roads meant to carry cars longer distances. Residents keep their parking and vehicle access but overall traffic is reduced by 50%. And these streets can then revert to what they were built for – ball games, chats on the corner, walks to the bodega, or bike lessons. Plus, locals who do drive can get where they’re going faster and safer because the streets aren’t clogged with drivers just cutting through on their way to somewhere else.
Diagonal diverters at intersections and plazas at key areas disrupt through-streets to prioritize local use rather than cut-through driving.
LTNs are common across the globe—London has over 70, in a variety of neighborhood types and sizes. They’ve become extremely popular with residents because they make neighborhoods quieter, calmer, and more local.
In Low Traffic Neighborhoods:
Traffic decreases 46.9% and even 1.6% on the boundary roads.
Streets are safer: 50% fewer car-related casualties and up to 33% slower speeds, even on boundary roads.
Crime decreases 10-18%; the longer the LTN has been in place, the less crime there is.
Air quality improves: emissions drop 5.7% inside the LTN and 8.9% on boundary roads.
Active travel increases 25%: resulting in less sick days and improved life expectancy by 200 days.
This treatment is perfect for New York City, where residential streets are far too narrow to accommodate so much driving and nonlocal traffic has transformed these once-quiet, communal blocks. But we can reclaim our neighborhoods by making small changes to street design to prioritize local use. In an LTN, the only people driving in the neighborhood are the people who need access to it—residents, visitors, emergency vehicles, sanitation and delivery services.
FAQs
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Cut-through driving happens when motorists use neighborhood streets as shortcuts — trips that neither begin nor end in the area. Navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze have made this problem worse by routing regional traffic through local streets to shave off a few seconds of drive time.
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This is one of the most common questions — and the data shows the answer is no. While traffic patterns can shift in the first few weeks, studies from London and other cities show that overall traffic volumes fall citywide as people adjust — choosing to walk, bike, or take transit instead of driving short trips. In short: LTNs reduce local driving, which also reduces congestion on surrounding roads over time. Most communities start to feel the benefits within a few months as travel patterns stabilize.
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It’s natural to worry that traffic will increase on your street — no one wants more cars or more congestion. But LTNs are designed as neighborhood-wide traffic management plans, not single-block interventions. The goal is to rebalance how cars move through an area, so no one street bears the burden. And in a deeper sense, we’re all in agreement: no one wants more cars on their street. LTNs are one of the only tools that actually deliver on that shared goal — by stopping unnecessary cut-through trips in the first place.
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Yes. Emergency vehicles, sanitation trucks, deliveries, and local access are always maintained in LTNs. Multiple studies in London found that emergency response times did not worsen — and often improved — after LTNs were introduced. With fewer double-parked cars and less congestion, emergency access becomes more reliable.
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LTNs maintain full access for essential city services. Routes for sanitation and deliveries may be slightly adjusted, but access is never blocked. In some cases, calmer streets can even improve reliability for buses and reduce obstructions for large vehicles.
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Not yet. While NYC uses some of the same design tools (like diverters, one-way conversions, and daylighting), we’ve never implemented a comprehensive, neighborhood-wide plan like the ones seen in London, Paris, Berlin, or Bogotá.
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LTNs are among the most cost-effective street safety measures available. In London, the estimated public health benefit equates to $5,960 per person over 20 years, at a cost of just $35–$44 per person to implement.
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No, an LTN can be implemented without removing any parking. Some neighborhoods choose to pair LTNs with other improvements — like curb extensions or planters — but those are optional enhancements, not requirements.
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No. LTNs are not pedestrian plazas. Unlike Open Streets, LTNs are self-enforcing — they rely on physical design and traffic management tools, not daily staffing or programming. Cars, deliveries, and residents still have full access.
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A traffic study isn’t necessarily required; it would be at DOT’s discretion. Many cities launch pilot programs to test designs before making them permanent. That said, community input is a crucial first step in identifying neighborhoods and areas that are good candidates for an LTN.
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Not necessarily. The City already has the authority to manage local traffic, but legislation can help standardize how LTNs are designed, funded, and evaluated. Open Plans supports citywide frameworks that make it easier for communities to request and shape their own LTN pilots.
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There is currently a lack of research on the connection between LTNs and gentrification. Changes in neighborhood desirability are complex and depend on broader housing and land-use policy. In London, where LTNs have been created throughout the city and with an equity lens, quality of life goes up and neighborhoods are more desirable. To avoid potential gentrification effects, NYC should focus on building LTNs throughout the city, especially since they are so cheap and simple to build.
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Every neighborhood is different — which is why LTNs are custom-designed to local conditions. They work best in areas with:
Frequent cut-through traffic complaints
Active community engagement and local leadership
Neighborhoods and intersections with known safety issues and concerns
Near schools, senior centers, parks, libraries, and/or community centers
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Planters and curb extensions
One-way street conversions
Turn restrictions and modal filters
Daylighting and visibility improvements
Community engagement and traffic monitoring
LTNs aren’t about banning cars — they’re about balancing streets so they work better for everyone. They make neighborhoods quieter, safer, and more connected — and they reflect what most New Yorkers already want: fewer cars speeding through their blocks, and more livable streets where people come first.
We’re working with DOT to pilot LTNs in supportive local communities. Want to know more? Contact Talya Schwartz at talya@openplans.org.
