You should be able to show your idea for a street

I like the idea that someone could open StreetShape because they enjoy redesigning streets, with no campaign, meeting, or serious proposal in mind. They might want to try a tram line, add trees, or see what happens when parking takes up less space.

I also want the same tool to be useful to someone who has been thinking about a difficult crossing outside their home for years.

Those motivations can coexist. Curiosity gives people a reason to explore. A familiar place gives that exploration meaning. Sometimes, playing with an alternative is how a more serious idea begins.

That is why I want StreetShape to be approachable to hobbyists and people without a planning background. Someone should be able to express an idea before knowing the vocabulary used to describe it professionally.

Living with a street gives people a perspective worth hearing. They know where they wait, where they feel uncomfortable, and which routes they avoid. A visual tool can help turn that experience into something other people can discuss.

Of course, drawing a proposal does not settle whether it can be built. There will still be technical questions, competing needs, and decisions that require professional judgment.

What interests me is creating a better starting point for that conversation. A person can say, “This is what I mean,” and show it.

I would be happy if StreetShape became a place where people enjoy experimenting with their surroundings. I would be even happier if some of those experiments helped people begin changing them.