There are some other ways to soften the street and make it more as cars being guests, such as planters that are still somewhat temporary but more integrated into the ground:
Or even smaller planters (this is Rome, which is also reducing the size of streets temporarily with planters outside touristy area, in this case the Colosseum):
And for protection, they could make bollards that follow along road like a European city would to stop parking and stopping:
Even simply painting the extended sidewalk, repaving it, would improve it.