This week started with some good news for folks down under, where Sydney to get pedestrian-friendly CBD. Of course, not everyone is excited about the idea of pedestrian improvements like countdown signals and shared roadways. Some believe that Businesses will suffer under CBD plan, arguing that lower speed limits and fewer parking spaces will lead to fewer customers. (You all know that research on this subject has shown otherwise, right?)
Elsewhere, pedestrians are getting blamed for other problems. In Michigan, Bike thefts up at CMU; police cite pedestrian-friendly campus as cause. I guess there are some down sides to improving walkability?
Happily, folks across the country are facing these dangers bravely, and boldly installing pedestrian improvements in their communities. In New York we learna about the DOT Installing Countdown Pedestrian Signals In Brooklyn and how the Park Smoking Ban Outlaws Butts on Pedestrian Plazas, Too, while Va. Beach OKs Shore Drive safety improvements and in Canada Bridge, trail make getting around lake safer ("It's amazing what a difference 125 feet of concrete can make").
Still, it's not all bright and sunny out there. On Thursday an 80-year-old pedestrian fatally struck crossing Glendale street. Perhaps it's no wonder that LAist asks, Do L.A. City Councilmembers Really Care About Pedestrian Safety?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Happy Park(ing) Day!
Today we celebrate the many ways that parking spaces can be used--besides for parking cars. Check out the Park(ing) Day LA website for a map of all this year's spaces-turned-parks.
And for those who can't make it to their favorite spot on Friday, the Hollywood Community Studio will be shutting down Hudson Avenue at Hollywood Boulevard for a "Pavement-to-Plaza" demonstration project full of fun performances and activities. Here's the schedule it you'd like to take a peek.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Habitat for People
Over at my real job (no, in case you were wondering this is not my real job, just a time-consuming hobby) I've been working lately on a habitat evaluation project. We're looking at a new method of habitat analysis that considers hundreds of factors (type of trees, location of boulders, number of downed logs), then assigns a value to the habitat based on all those factors. The method draws on about 100,000 studies of wildlife habitat.
Want to guess how many studies there are of pedestrian habitat?
Okay, it's hard to say precisely. BUT one recent count puts the number of studies related to travel and the built environment at about 200. So even if you factor in a few studies related to pedestrians safety, maybe a handful about walking and health, or walking and economics, I'd guess the number is less than 1,000.
Not that I begrude the critters their share of attention, but it's curious how little interest we show in learning about ourselves and our human environment. We talk big about wanting to be "green" and encourage the use of alternative transportation, but we don't seem to be willing to put forward the effort (much less the funding) to really understand how to build cities that will acheive those goals. Seems like we should try to fix that...
Want to guess how many studies there are of pedestrian habitat?
Okay, it's hard to say precisely. BUT one recent count puts the number of studies related to travel and the built environment at about 200. So even if you factor in a few studies related to pedestrians safety, maybe a handful about walking and health, or walking and economics, I'd guess the number is less than 1,000.
Not that I begrude the critters their share of attention, but it's curious how little interest we show in learning about ourselves and our human environment. We talk big about wanting to be "green" and encourage the use of alternative transportation, but we don't seem to be willing to put forward the effort (much less the funding) to really understand how to build cities that will acheive those goals. Seems like we should try to fix that...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sidewalk Redefined
In this compelling recent article, Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris and Reina Ehrenfeucht describe the downfall of sidewalks in the US, and suggest how planners might bring them back to life. They identify five essential purposes of sidewalks:
Movement This one's pretty self-explanatory. Sidewalks are how pedestrians move from one place to another.
Encounter Sidewalks are the places where you meet people: people you know, people you don't know, and people you might not want to know. And sometimes, this purpose of the sidewalk trumps the "movement" purpose, as in when a street fair temporarily closes a pathway to normal traffic. As the article describes, sidewalks are where, "Spontaneous and planned festivities break the rhythm of everyday life and give collective expression to people’s joy, sorrow or aspirations."
Confrontation Not every activity that takes place on a sidewalk is comfortable. Rallies and protests, sit-ins, or even talking loudly might be distruptive or violate social norms. Still, the authors' believe that these activities should be accomodated on "democratic" sidewalks.
Survival We don't always like to dwell on it, but for some people the sidewalk is "home," and the only place where they can carry out the ordinary activities of daily life (eating, sleeping) that the rest of us more commonly do indoors. Sidewalks are also, often controversially, the places where some people like street vendors or day laborers go to earn a living.
Movement This one's pretty self-explanatory. Sidewalks are how pedestrians move from one place to another.
Encounter Sidewalks are the places where you meet people: people you know, people you don't know, and people you might not want to know. And sometimes, this purpose of the sidewalk trumps the "movement" purpose, as in when a street fair temporarily closes a pathway to normal traffic. As the article describes, sidewalks are where, "Spontaneous and planned festivities break the rhythm of everyday life and give collective expression to people’s joy, sorrow or aspirations."
Confrontation Not every activity that takes place on a sidewalk is comfortable. Rallies and protests, sit-ins, or even talking loudly might be distruptive or violate social norms. Still, the authors' believe that these activities should be accomodated on "democratic" sidewalks.
Survival We don't always like to dwell on it, but for some people the sidewalk is "home," and the only place where they can carry out the ordinary activities of daily life (eating, sleeping) that the rest of us more commonly do indoors. Sidewalks are also, often controversially, the places where some people like street vendors or day laborers go to earn a living.
Friday, September 10, 2010
This week on foot
This week starts with more fun techie news, as we learn that a Vehicle Camera Watches the Road for Stray Pedestrians and a Car applies brake for pedestrians.
Now if only we can get policymakers to behave as intelligently as the vehicles they drive. It doesn't seem to be happening in Hawaii, where the State considers removing 3 Pali crosswalks. On the other hand, there's good news on the legislative front in New York, where a New law protecting pedestrians named for Elle Vandenberghe. And just in time for bad weather in Michigan, a Proposed Ordinance Would Keep Sidewalks Safe in Winter.
Things are less rosy in Arizona, where an Advocate fears loss of funding for N. Phoenix pedestrian bridge, even worse in Nashville, where a Spike In Pedestrian Accidents Prompts Changes, and downright nasty in Minnesota, where a Sinkhole swallows pedestrian in St. Paul (don't worry, he survived).
With all the dangers out there, it's no wonder that San Clemente is asking you to Share your thoughts on bike, pedestrian safety as part of their Pedestrian and Bicycle master planning.
And there's definitely some bright spots in the world of walkers. Up in Canada, Vancouver Tour Guys' business takes off when they begin offering free walking tours of the city. See, walkability sells.
Now if only we can get policymakers to behave as intelligently as the vehicles they drive. It doesn't seem to be happening in Hawaii, where the State considers removing 3 Pali crosswalks. On the other hand, there's good news on the legislative front in New York, where a New law protecting pedestrians named for Elle Vandenberghe. And just in time for bad weather in Michigan, a Proposed Ordinance Would Keep Sidewalks Safe in Winter.
Things are less rosy in Arizona, where an Advocate fears loss of funding for N. Phoenix pedestrian bridge, even worse in Nashville, where a Spike In Pedestrian Accidents Prompts Changes, and downright nasty in Minnesota, where a Sinkhole swallows pedestrian in St. Paul (don't worry, he survived).
With all the dangers out there, it's no wonder that San Clemente is asking you to Share your thoughts on bike, pedestrian safety as part of their Pedestrian and Bicycle master planning.
And there's definitely some bright spots in the world of walkers. Up in Canada, Vancouver Tour Guys' business takes off when they begin offering free walking tours of the city. See, walkability sells.
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