From the archives

"101 smart transportation solutions that can make our cities better."

https://www.curbed.com/2017/9/20/16317036/best-transportation-ideas-cities-transit

Today's video

"In Tokyo 14 percent of all trips are done by bike, every single day. Yet Tokyo does not have the cycling infrastructure of an Amsterdam or even Hamburg, which is something most western minds believe to be a necessity for encouraging cycling. Not that wider cycling lanes wouldn't help boost the 14 percent mode share, but Japanese folks in Tokyo have shown they will cycle regardless. If there's no bike lane, they'll just hop on the sidewalk or wherever they feel safe."


The Gaman Spirit: Why Cycling Works in Tokyo from STREETFILMS on Vimeo.

Video of the week

Twitter user: 21st Century City

Top tweets that caught my eye:

"Autonomous vehicles would probably need more space, as they would have to drive around empty to find the next passenger."

from: https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/976859613990670336

or: 

"Snow to visualize the crazy amount of unused carspace."

from: https://twitter.com/bicivikingo/status/978034705298853888

or:



"If you design your city for people instead of cars, your city will thrive - in terms of business, safety, efficiency, people's mood, health & so much more"

from: https://twitter.com/urbanthoughts11/status/974329230887653376

The History of Vancouver

"Living in Vancouver you might not know it is actually an amalgamation of three cities. Their distinctive cultures survive today. This video has some highlights of this history. In deciding on future development and density, perhaps we should respect this past."

Peak Population?

"When will our global population peak? And how can we minimize our impact on Earth’s resources, even as we approach 11 billion?"

The right to walk

"Every person has the right to walk. Choosing to move on foot — to work, school, or the market — should be safe and easy for urban residents. Yet city streets are increasingly being built for high-speed, personal vehicles, with hazardous intersections and narrow or nonexistent sidewalks. In many cities, simply getting anywhere by foot has become a dangerous: thousands of pedestrians are killed on the world’s roads each week."



from: http://spacing.ca/vancouver/2018/02/08/video-vancouver-right-walk/

Interim Use Farming

12 steps

"There is a 12-step sprawl recovery program that can transform the subdivisions, strip malls, and office parks of post-WWII sprawl into sustainable neighborhoods... IF the people living there want that extreme makeover. But they have to want it & be committed to the transformation. Without the commitment, they won’t be able to break the addiction. The 12-step sprawl recovery program can never be forced upon anyone. People have to be committed to transforming the sprawl around them into sustainable places. The benefits are many, including the fact that those places will live much longer. The alternative is bleak; there are ghost towns around the world for a reason."

1. Civic Space
2. Thoroughfare Recovery
3. Accessory Dwelling Units
4. Gifts to the Street
5. Lovable Edible Gardens
6. Places to Eat
7. Bed & Breakfast
8. Cottages
9. Live/Work Units
10. Neighborhood Market
11. Dedicated Office & Retail
12. Civic Buildings

from: http://www.originalgreen.org/blog/2018/

Shared space on roads

"Some cities in Europe are undergoing a fascinating transformation: they’re getting rid of all of their road signs. That’s thanks to a design concept called “shared space,” where urban planners drastically lessen the presence of traffic lights, signs, and barriers, encouraging all forms of transportation to share the road."



"There’s evidence that drivers often totally ignore road signs, so the heightened risk forces commuters to remain on high alert as they pass through an intersection, in theory leading to safer travel. But by stripping cities of their traditional traffic control systems, they leave disabled residents in the dark — and that’s sparked a powerful debate of how to balance ease of movement with all residents’ needs. "