Link to the source:
http://www.ted.com/talks/janette_sadik_khan_new_york_s_streets_not_so_mean_any_more.html

In this funny and thought-provoking talk, Janette Sadik-Khan, transportation commissioner of New York City, shares projects that have reshaped street life in the 5 boroughs, including pedestrian zones in Times Square, high-performance buses and a 6,000-cycle-strong bike share. Her mantra: Do bold experiments that are cheap to try out.

As commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, Janette Sadik-Khan is responsible for the smooth running of a New York that hides in plain sight… the streets, highways, bridges, signs and lights that make up the bustling metropolis.

What I like most about Janette’s talk is that all these transformation can be experiment quickly with paint and simple furnitures. The resistance is much less if people know that if it doesn’t work out, they can easily go back to the previous situation. This is how New York public space has been changed quickly from car centric to people centric. In this respect, Singapore, the Little Red Dot, can learn a lot from the Big Apple.