The Weekly Chatter: Proudly combating paranoia & empty stomachs
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The Chatter
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- A message to Traverse City leadership: Don’t be paranoid of street food (UpNorthBiz) and ease up on restrictions & fees for creative and brave entrepreneurs (Ticker) Feb. 12 is an important DDA meeting on the subject, send them a message. Of course, now there is also a local TC Street Food Facebook page to join –>
- Need bike commute inspiration in this single digit temps? One New Yorker’s 40-mile winter bike commute (NYTimes) doubles as a lesson in effective city policy to accommodate people on bikes, like bicycle-friendly housing (Wash.Post). And, lest we forget, biking isn’t only for the superhuman…it’s for everyone (AtlanticCities)
- Project for Public Spaces gets it and their new Rightsizing a Street Guide is a much desired resource (PPS)…while we’re on road design, a road built for speed is certainly the foundation of any crash, you can’t just blame the driver, MDOT (UpNorthLIve)
- The silver-tsunami that may arise and demand complete streets (PPP)…turns out, boomers aren’t so different from hipsters after all. Perhaps walking audits can unite the generations around common goal of walkability (Better Cities).
- The ultimate goal? Well designed cities and all their benefits (Bloomberg)
Successful cities have a vision.”
Without that vision, I get real nervous when leaders start talking increasing infrastructure spending without details (RE).
- The debate in Lansing over transportation funding (MWhat) hopefully will not echo Wisconsin’s commitment to the 1950s (StreetsBlog)
- Both places, and the nation, really need to re-examine how the gas tax is running on empty (T4America) Are we ready for parking lot taxes (MontrealG)
- Simply put, the times have changed (AtlanticCities) and priorities are questioned…
A Short History of Traffic Engineering flic.kr/p/dPE87X by@copenhagenized. Graphic says it all.—
Barb Chamberlain (@barbchamberlain) January 30, 2013
To close, three commercials that show off the power of the bicycle (StreetFilms) One, we leave with you for the weekend…Super Bowl material?
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Parking lot taxes and/or impact fees are an interesting idea, at least in areas where they wouldn’t be counterproductive, like the downtown. The twps like Garfield should look at them.
Be glad that the City Commission is talking about increasing infrastructure spending, and then work to bend that spending to what your priorities. My experience is hat the first reason for denial of spending on sidewalks, trails, complete street goals is “we can’t afford it.” So work hard to achieve your goals, knowing money (some) is available.