Traffic Islands

This documentary explores the stories of people whose lives intersect with traffic islands and streetscapes.

From a scientist trying to work out how many species of ant live on the traffic islands on Broadway, one of New York's most famous streets, to a solitary homeless man who makes a living on the street corner, trying to catch the attention of the human traffic in Washington DC.

There is also the Maryland family who use the roadside as a place to create a memorial to a lost son, killed in a car crash. What they have in common is that they map out parts of their lives that would usually be private on the public traffic grid.

Traffic Islands was produced and presented by Gemma Hooley of Soundprint Media Center. It is part of Global Perspective, the BBC World Service international documentary series. This year's theme is Islands.

First broadcast on 06 August 2009