My Wheels are Turning

Monday’s Quote

Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing patterns of change rather than static snapshots.”

– Peter Senge, Pattern of Behavior

It’s a complex world and our choices have consequences beyond the immediate. I’m trying to see those patterns in our community. Frequently on this website, we discuss the problems of today without always fully realizing that those problems were yesterday’s solutions; at least, for someone.

Today those ‘someones‘ are all of us. Neighbors. Our actions are driving status quo as well as change; nothing stands still. Is what’s to come in the future what we intend? For example, we may fully intend to calm traffic along Division St., but our actions (unnecessary driving), preferences (NIMBY, speeding), perceptions (cut-through traffic is bad) may be getting in the way of present solutions and creating future problems.

Participating in and watching several community meetings lately has me slightly worried about the ability for Traverse City to improve its use of public space, in particularly improving our worst streets. Too often, we enter discussions with our position made-up, our perspective set, our preferences un-bendable and our assumptions solidified. I’m often guilty of it myself. What brings me around is stepping back and throwing out The Answer, and letting a solution present itself.

Answers aren’t acquired & collected, but heard, explored and implemented with open minds.

Monday’s Quote

“Minimum parking requirements act like a fertility drug for cars.”

~Donald C. Shoup, “The High Cost of Free Parking“

Minimum parking requirements, by cities, developers and financial institutions, set parking capacities to handle peak demands and one result is an over built environment. As well, it leads to one of the most cited findings in Shoup’s book, that 99% of all automobile trips end in free parking. What the findings, and the title of the book suggest, is that it is only a small portion of the story. Parking simply isn’t free. Even parking in your driveway has costs.

Basic maintenance, like seal coating, is only the beginning & one of the most obvious costs of parking (photo: GLHowe)

We all subsidize parking, even if you never drive. We do so financially and in opportunity costs that ‘serve the automobile’. This feeds into a system that dictates consequential planning & priorities that otherwise could be focused on development for people, not their 2-ton transportation tools. According to Shoup, we subsidize parking in ever-increasing sums totaling in the billions of dollars ($127 billion in 2002 NYTimes).

One result, is more cars trips.

Traverse City, like many cities, is beholden to systems, cultures and politics that demand cheap, abundant, front-door parking. It includes territorial claims by the vocal and egocentric demands of business owners & residents; people who simply don’t want to ‘over-think‘ the issue & view parking as a right, despite the externalities associated with it. The financing system also encourages the building of things like parking decks as ‘development’, but sees no value in building community capital based on life away from the car.  Just try to remove parking from a new development!

Streetfilms recently sat down with Shoup to talk about parking in New York. The big cities are where his policies should be the easiest sell, as the density and land values already dictate a high rate of transit and active transportation. Yet, resistance is everywhere and smart parking policy is often watered down or pushed back another 10 years, every 10 years. This includes Traverse City.

An introduction to Parking (with a New York focus)

UPDATE: There is also an excellent Radio interview from CChange Radio with Professor Shoup with this great quote: “When it comes to parking, staunch conservatives become ardent communists.“

I’m still looking for a copy of The High Cost of Fee Parking to borrow.

Any other Shoupistas out there with a copy?

Monday’s Quote

This has more impact coming from the author’s own voice.

(sorry about quality, still processing)

Richard Devylder is U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation and this was pulled from his comments (posted on YouTube) at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

That this voice, advocating that all modes and accessibility issues are equal and that all users deserve a “plan” and for their “functional needs” be met, is being heard at the top of the transportation food chain is a hopeful sign.

Locally, the crew at the Northern Michigan Disability Network is working on many of this same issues and is an enthusiastic partner with the complete streets initiatives.

Monday’s Quote

If you sow highways, all you will reap is cars”

~ City Planner interviewed in the film Auto*Mate

Auto*Mate was shown Saturday night at the Traverse City Film Festival. Impression of film coming soon. The short of it: another example of the triumph of the automobile at the expense of people focused public space, and the inevitable push-back.

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Monday’s Quote

“Transportation is about more than engineering.”

~ Roy Kienitz, U.S. Department of Transportation Undersecretary

This quote was made at the US-DOT hosted “Keeping Kids Moving” conference last week. There seems to be political realization at the top that how we design our streets has consequences across the board, including childhood obesity. At the conference, Kienitz also uttered the following in a call for more public participation, “transportation is too important to be left to transportation professionals.”

Reclaim the streets, beginning with your own.

Monday’s Quote

Demand the “Freaking Radical“, know the “Realistic” as simply status quo, accept the “Possible” as a compromise.

Celebrate it all.”

~ Radical Consultant Bill Palladino

Result of an email exchange concerned with dreaming what a city could look like. A useful reminder that there is no need to apologize for our dreams.

NOTE: Click though to read last week’s post by the above radical’s guest contribution, the  economic breakdown of being without car for the last two years: Making the Leap-Going Carless

Monday’s Quote

Cities of the twenty-first century should be lively cities, safe cities, sustainable cities and healthy cities. All of these qualities can be achieved if we embrace these ten principles, which means putting people first.“

~ Jan Gehl, Danish urbanist

Gehl, known for designing public spaces that promote gathering, walking and bicycling, is commenting on a recent publication and exhibition titled, Our Cities Ourselves. The project mainly focuses on the needs of the large cities, but the issues are only a matter of scale. As Traverse City and northern Michigan grows in population, we’d be wise to “embrace these ten principles“.

Ten principles of sustainable transport?

1. Walk the walk: Create great pedestrian environments.
2. Powered by people: Create a great environment for bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles.
3. Get on the bus: Provide great, cost-effective public transport.
4. Cruise control: Provide access for clean passenger vehicles at safe speeds and in significantly reduced numbers.
5. Deliver the goods: Service the city in the cleanest and safest manner.
6. Mix it up: Mix people and activities, buildings and spaces.
7. Fill it in: Build dense, people and transit oriented urban districts that are desirable.
8. Get real: Preserve and enhance the local, natural, cultural, social and historical assets.
9. Connect the blocks: Make walking trips more direct, interesting and productive with small-size, permeable buildings and blocks.
10. Make it last: Build for the long-term. Sustainable cities bridge generations. They are memorable, malleable, built from quality materials, and well-maintained.

~ From the “Our Cities Ourselves: 10 Principles for Transport in Urban Life” booklet by the Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP)

All of them contribute to livability, but the one standing out for me at this moment is number 10. Are we building infrastructure to last the next 50-100 years? And if we are, are we building the infrastructure that is human centered, multiple use orientated?

What principles stand out for you?

• If you happen to be in New York, you can view the Our cities Ourselves exhibit until September 11, 2010 at the Center for Architecture •

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Monday’s Quote

Owning a car brings joy only twice in an owner’s life–when it is bought and when it is sold.  In between there is only torture”

~Russian Folk Wisdom, via chapter 8 of “Divorce your car“

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Monday’s Quote

Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means.”

~ Dr. Koichi Kawana, Architect, designed many botanical gardens

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Simplifying helps us to slow. And to see clearly.

Simplifying can also help us accomplish more. Less is more; take back your time.

Today is the International Day of Slowness. Breathe

Monday’s Quote

Referring to walking and bicycling as “alternative transportation” is akin to labeling a woman as an “alternative man”.

–A Dan Burden Twitter post.

What’s alternative about self-powered mobility?

The true alternative creature is how we, as a culture, have so quickly come to view motorized travel as more ‘normal’ than walking.

We are all pedestrians. Accept Embrace it.