The View from the Road By: Donald Appleyard, Kevin Lynch, John R. Myer

The View from the Road
By: Donald Appleyard, Kevin Lynch, John R. Myer

“The modern car interposes a filter between the driver and the world he is moving through. Sounds, smells, sensations of touch, and weather are all diluted in comparison with what the pedestrian experiences. Vision is framed and limited, the driver is relatively inactive. He has less opportunity to explore, or choose his path with than does the man on foot. Only the speed, scale, amd grace of his movement can compensate for these limitations.” (Appleyard, 4)
“If consciously designed for the purpose, they could present the city as a vivid and well ordered image.” (Appleyard, 16)

“The image of the highway itself may also be clarified. Successive sections may be visibly differentiated so that they can be recognized in distinct parts. Thus the motorist can see that he is “in the hilly part,” as well as “approaching center.” (Appleyard, 16)

“Even where the general image of the city and the highway have been clarified and their interrelation established, there still remains the difficult task of linking the road to its immediate environs. This is most crucial where the driver is about to make the transition to the local landscape of streets and buildings. The highway and the city street are two separate worlds, mysteriously connected, and coming off the ramp of a modern highway is usually a moment of severe disorientation.” (Appleyard, 16)