MyWHaT

Brandon Schauer, the Experience Design Director at Adaptive Path (nice title), introduces the 30 second Pong treatment for increasing creativity. The theory goes, that “People who watched a target moving side-to-side for 30 seconds have been tested as producing significantly more ideas when immediately given a creative task,” he writes.

(via www.danpink.com)

Give it a try. Did your creative juices begin to flow?

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Do you know some people who need a little creative boost?

As detailed on the Plan for TC Web site, TART trails, with help by Mayor Chris Bzdok, hired a consulting engineering firm for a conceptual “Second Opinion” for the 2010 Eighth Street project. TART’s goal was to offer a positive way forward with a possible concept for the city staff and commission to consider.

Bob Otwell, the Executive Director of TART, said it was a new approach for the trail and advocacy organization, but that he wanted to offer a solution. “It’s nice to say we can do it differently, but it’s more powerful to show another option, and say ‘consider this’,” said Otwell.

“We wanted to not just say no, but to say here is something better.”

In describing TART’s letter to the commission, Otwell said the main goal was to help the city design Eighth St. “to ensure that all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists, can travel safely and conveniently on and across this street.” Seems sensible.

There is a more elaborate conceptual plan shared with the city, but this basic cross-section shows that a significant improvement of the current design of Eighth St. is possible if the city pushes for a more creativity and a shift of priorities from city staff. It shouldn’t take too much time or money. Just a little creativity.

After becoming aware of the Eighth St. project, TART hired Gosling Czubak Engineering Sciences to develop a conceptual second opinion. The result isn't a finished product, but offers a working concept that shows that an engineering solution is possible. For the most part, with a change of priorities (parking, wider lanes, turning lanes) this concept remains withing the current width of the two block section of Eighth St. while providing up to code bike lanes and improved pedestrian crossings. (Cross-sections courtesy of TART Trails).

TART’s letter to the city commission explaining the details of the conceptual design was sent out last night. You can read it here.

Please Contact the city manager & city commissioners. And then come voice your opinion or give support Monday night February 8th at 7PM.

All we really need to be asking for is:

• Bike lanes along Eighth St.
  
• Improved pedestrian crossings at each intersection
  
• A solution based approach, not limitations
• For them to Complete the Street

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