This whole harebrained scheme rests on fear and intimidation. Basically, the idea is that as a motorist doesn't know if (s)he's on the footpath or on the road, (s)he'll be more careful. Pedestrians have no clue anymore where they are, so they'll pay more attention to traffic.

I happen to live in "the Belgian town of Oostende". I'm 90% pedestrian, and after a few narrow escapes on one of the main drags (where the sidewalk is now at grade and continues uninterrupted across intersections) I definitely don't feel any safer than 6 months ago...

They also managed to incorporate the bike lane in the sidewalk without an elevation change. And mopeds (max. speed up to 40 mph) have to use these. Very safe indeed.

The other 10% of my time, I ride a motorcycle. From that viewpoint it's just as lethal. Traffic isles with an 8" vertical rise facing the direction of traffic? No problem. Can't drive too well and worried that you'll scratch the paint getting into the garage? We'll just put some poles in the road to keep everyone away from your gate. Worried about trucks sneaking through your neighorhood? There are more concrete barriers in the road now than there were when the Germans camped out here last!

Unsafe is safe? Not in a million years. Big problem is that (at least for now), no changes were made to the highway code, so this whole thing is operating in a legal vacuum. The only way to fill it will be to apply the current code, which says that cars have the absolute right of way. So one of these days, someone will have enough of this "traffic management as a lifestyle" project, do the speed limit (30 mph), flatten someone walking in the middle of the road, and be cleared of all charges. And then the howling will start...