Sure A Not

Similar to some of the more sought-after gated communities, or borey, in and around Phnom Penh, the typical image of a” safe street” might conjure up images of peaceful streets bordered by high fences protecting homes.

However, numerous studies and real-world examples demonstrate that quiet or dormant streets are not as safe as we would often anticipate them to be. Instead, busy streets represent neighborhoods that are not only safe but also politically, mentally, and economically prosperous.

Although Phnom Penh now has a large number of busy streets and public spaces, the right method can make sure that each one is as secure as possible.

” Gaze on the sidewalk.”

Jane Jacobs, a well-known urbanist and author, was one of the first thinkers to popularize the idea of using the busy city for public health.

Jacobs asserts that a healthy road has several key features. One of these traits is the concept of” eyes on the street ,” which Jacobs created in her book The Death and Life of Fantastic American Cities to represent the notion that a busy city has people keeping an eye on it.

She suggested that occupants, pedestrians, and street vendors using the city keep an eye on the streets to ensure a healthy road. Jacobs proposed that buildings face the streets with lots of” permeable” surfaces, such as windows and doors, so that occupants can see the street. This method of street watching prevents crime while reassuring pedestrians that it is secure.

It should be noted that murder is still a possibility on busy streets and in occupied areas like markets. Thieves and purse-grabbers may still have a chance to hit their targets, but everyone in the area is alerted and prepared to assist the victims with just one call. Contrast that to a lonely street where there are few opportunities for assistance.

In the most recent instance of a road assault in the Por Senchey neighborhood of the capital, the perpetrators preyed on the victim as she was leaving her house but were quickly apprehended by onlookers and turned over to the police. Another incident involved a purse thief who was also apprehended by locals in the Sen Sok district of the city. Just having” eyes on the street” helped make the means to stop violence as it occurred in both of these examples.

By residing up a lonely road, violent violence can be reduced.

A case study from the town of Dallas, Texas, can serve as an example of the public safety effects of turning a deserted section of road into an active pubic area.

There used to be a lot of empty loads and poor streets surrounding Malcolm X Plaza.

One of the city’s most hazardous neighborhoods was these lonely roads. The square was 564 times more likely to experience violent gun crime there than anywhere else in southeast Dallas prior to a 2019 program.

Child Poverty Action Lab, a neighborhood non-profit, collaborated with the Better Block Foundation in 2021 and 2022 to” trigger” and targeted an empty lot in the area. The parking lot changed from being deserted and clear to hosting movie nights on Fridays and basketball games on Saturdays. Without any improvement in conventional surveillance, the program achieved real results in terms of public safety by transforming this deserted area of property into a bustling gathering place.

Following these interventions, Better Block’s statistics revealed that keeping streets energetic and neighbors involved resulted in a decrease in crime. With a 20 % drop in arrests, violent crime decreased by 59 % from 2019. This neighborhood, which had previously been the highest-risk neighborhood in the guard section of the police department, dropped to 463rd overall on the same ranked record.

Malcolm X Plaza demonstrates how a safer road can be found in the midst of people’s lives and actions. As in Jacobs’ terms,” A well-used city street is likely to be a safe road.”

Southeast Asia is also investigate these initiatives to increase road safety through busier and livelier roads.

Cambodia has a tradition of crowded sidewalks.

When it comes to city life, Phnom Penh has a number of advantages.

In some areas of the city, vibrant streets are already the rule. People come and go all day to buy at the fish and fruit sellers that line the streets that run alongside the crowded Orussey Market. Outside restaurant in the adjacent streets draw regular customers and bystanders to travel for breakfast, lunch, afternoon coffee, and more.

This kind of Phnom Penh street’s spontaneity and vibrancy are frequently disregarded or even seen as a drawback. This has erupted in situations where officers remove street vendors from their places for reasons of maintaining public order or identify these vendors as the cause of traffic congestion. Although some Phnom Penh residents may find these streets to be too loud or busy, these vibrant areas are important business hubs where the hustle and bustle of daily life draws even more people.

The fact that these streets are used for trading is one thing that gives them life, but another is the presence of the structures that run alongside them. The shophouse may be the most conducive to life of these. These common buildings are row-homes, with the ground floor frequently serving as a store or place of business and the higher level primarily being used for housing.

Shophouses, which have long been the most popular building typology in Phnom Penh, are the perfect setting for the active” eyes on the street” while maintaining the liveliness of mixed-use neighborhoods.

The money already has these built-in amenities that keep the streets active. To better maintain more active and, consequently, more stable streets, Phnom Penh leaders should prioritize a number of other factors as well.

There is room for growth

The lack of suitable streets is the first obstacle getting in the way of more lively Phnom Penh streets.

This is due to the fact that they are frequently used by companies expanding their storefronts or for parking for cars and motorcycles. The misconception that sidewalks are a personal space when in fact they are in the public realm is one of the most common misconceptions about Vietnamese streets.

This results in the privatization of these pavements, which may result in a deserted road.

From this vantage point, the absence of sidewalks isn’t really a freedom issue; it’s also an issue with public safety. Roads will feel less secure if they only see fast-moving cars through visitors and no slower-flowing foot traffic.

Yet, another crucial issue would need to be addressed if Phnom Penh is to encourage base customers. More tone is required to keep people in the streets in a city where temperatures can drop as low as 40 degrees Celsius for extended periods of the year.

Additionally, Phnom Penh may remain deliberate in avoiding some of the most concerning reasons for unrest on the streets. The abundance of vacant lots and unfinished, partially finished development projects is one of these elements. Look no further than the town of Sihanoukville, where hundreds of unfinished buildings have contributed to crimes and other public security and public health issues, for a cautionary story outlining the damaging effects of this industrial issue.

Foreign investors liked Sihanoukville because of its game and hospitality sector. However, many of the buildings were abandoned after the Covid-19 crisis and the ban on online gambling, giving the city a weakening and dangerous appearance.

It would be wise to draw inspiration for Phnom Penh’s current vacant lots from a location like Odom Garden, which repurposed an expansive lot that would have otherwise sat vacant for some decades until building on the property started. Otherwise, the property was transformed into a momentary” pop-up” or public green space that was lively thanks to business activity.

Pop-up landscapes like this one, which temporarily occupy an empty or unused area, should serve as a testing ground for managers and designers to determine what works and what doesn’t.

For a healthier people, healthy arteries

While safety is a clear consequence of busy streets, it’s also crucial to consider the less visible effects.

Residents are better able to build vibrant streets and neighborhoods when they have a strong cultural relationship with one another. However, the direct relationship also has the same effect.

According to the authors of a study on the” Busy Street Theory,” politically active streets are usually found in neighborhoods where people feel secure and at ease being outside. Good road activity also encourages socializing among neighbors, improves neighborhood activity monitoring, fosters patronage of nearby businesses, and contributes to the preservation of the existing infrastructure.

Occupants are more likely to be able to connect with one another if neighborhood activities encourage casual conversation. For instance, parents who take their kids to a vacation spot in their neighborhood’s pop-up garden can strengthen their bonds just by being nearby all the time and enjoying the conversation it fosters.

Phnom Penh’s vivacity and muss are not things that we should try to get rid of. Instead, it is at the core of what keeps our area and streets safe.

Junior investigator Norak Silver works at the Phnom Penh-based think-tank Future Forum.

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