Bustling Street

You stand at the edge of a thundering river, a throng of pedestrians and traffic flowing endlessly as if the world might crash if even one less tramp or deliver truck were to appear prancing along the sun-filled street. Saturday stillness does not exist here, where every day is like the first day of creation, big bangs and billions of little particles scattering every which way. You try to take a seat on the curb and calm your senses, but the various fumes from passersby, emanating from smokey mouths and gaseous tailpipes, surrounds your head like a stormy cloud. Originally the word "street" simply meant a paved road (Latin: "via strata"). The word "street" is still sometimes used colloquially as a synonym for "road", for example in connection with the ancient Watling Street, but city residents and urban planners draw a crucial modern distinction: a road's main function is transportation, while streets facilitate public interaction. Examples of streets include pedestrian streets, alleys, and city-centre streets too crowded for road vehicles to pass. Conversely, highways and motorways are types of roads, but few would refer to them as streets. The street is a public easement, one of the few shared between all sorts of people. As a component of the built environment as ancient as human habitation, the street sustains a range of activities vital to civilization. Its roles are as numerous and diverse as its ever-changing cast of characters. Streets can be loosely categorized as main streets and side streets. Main streets are usually broad with a relatively high level of activity. Commerce and public interaction are more visible on main streets, and vehicles may use them for longer-distance travel. Side streets are quieter, often residential in use and character, and may be used for vehicular parking.