Community Engagement · Tactical Placemaking
10th Street Traffic Calming Initiative
Chatham Arch, Indianapolis
What
Safer streets don't require a costly redesign. As part of Indy's Vision Zero efforts, Proformus worked with the Chatham Arch neighborhood to plan, design, and install temporary curb bulb-outs along 10th Street near the Bottleworks District — transforming two key intersections, 10th & Park Avenue and 10th & Broadway, into age-safer spaces for everyone who crosses them.
Funded by an AARP Community Challenge Demonstration Grant and Toyota Motor Corporation, the installation is deliberately temporary: a working test of what the street could be, developed in collaboration with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works toward possible permanent improvements. With a budget under $7,500, Proformus guided the project from ideation to installation — proof that creative, low-cost interventions can move a Vision Zero plan from policy to pavement.
Why?
10th Street is currently a nightmare to cross.
Consistent feedback from Chatham Arch residents makes clear that speeding on 10th Street poses significant challenges to pedestrian safety — particularly for older adults and those with limited mobility. With over 31% of Chatham Arch residents over the age of 50, this project directly addresses the needs of a significant portion of the neighborhood.
A walkable environment contributes to better physical health: walkability improvements encourage older adults to remain active, lowering rates of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and arthritis. Accessible, pedestrian-friendly streets promote independence, reduce reliance on vehicles, and increase opportunities for daily exercise and social interaction. Traffic calming at these two key intersections raises quality of life and makes it easier for the most vulnerable residents to get around.
From idea to intersection
Who said traffic calming has to be boring?
The project aligns with Indianapolis Department of Public Works standards for tactical urbanism — public art, flex posts, and bulb-outs are all eligible under city code. So the concepts lead with graphic energy: the safety improvement reads as an invitation, not an obstruction.
On the street
Led by the Chatham Arch Neighborhood Association, the approach runs on volunteer-driven, community-building activities — neighbors implementing the temporary traffic-calming measures themselves. The installation doubles as a data collection tool, helping prioritize these intersections for permanent infrastructure improvements.
Temporary by design
The installation is a test, not a monument. Behavior and speeds are assessed in step with Indy DPW's tactical urbanism standards, and what works becomes the case for permanent infrastructure. The pop-up becomes the pattern; the pilot becomes the practice.
This is Emergent Planning at street scale: start small, learn fast, and make it stick.
