North on I-95 January 1 I drove to New England on Interstate 95, main street of the US megacity. I haven’t used this route since 1990.
population pressure Once upon a time ZPG (zero population growth) was viewed as an acceptable and responsible movement. What happened? Do you prefer density of population? Why?
Kitatama Elementary School Neighborhood school across the street and up the hill. Looks like a school, not a factory. Gardens on the school grounds, different than the US model (big parking lot and few windows) Notable degree of cleanliness prevails. Possibly that training starts early? A commonly held societal value? The hillside neighborhood is an oasis of quiet. The neighborhood streets are typically 12-14′ wide. “Fire codes” wouldn’t allow this street typology in the US. The practice of walking to school is nearly universal and starts early. Car use around the school is restricted. The community assures that children walk, and that while walking they are safe.
East River Road to hell. I made room for this Canadian. Then waited 20 minutes to cross the East River. Transportation workers appeared, disappeared, reappeared. Waited. Inquired when it was finally my turn at the window, “Whats up with that?” Response, Canadians… They never bring their money.
Moses, Goldschmid and Brown I had heard a shortened story of Portland’s 1970’s freeway kill-off. The beginning of Portland exceptionalism. Saying No to the FHWA. And so rarely leaving the Chesapeake Bay watershed I imagined a city comprised of narrow tree-lined streets, generous bike and pedestrian provisions, 264 foot city blocks lining the Williamette River. Yes, well not exactly. So they did say no, and they did leverage a bunch of public transit money and it is amazing. But it is not the idyll of my imagination. In 1974 Portland killed the Mount Hood Freeway, in 1979 the I-505 connector was taken off the table. But, in contrast to my imagined Portland, interstates were built.
Water Street I wonder if there are variable font sizes sign haiku with Jamaican twang Be careful brave pedestrians. Motorists don’t notice change in the rut to work. 10th and Water intersection traffic pattern change. It has been a long time coming.
Slow way home saw a movie yesterday written by UVA professor Leonard Shoppa, In Japan, 98 percent of children walk to school every day, unaccompanied by a parent. In the United States, just 13 percent of children walk or bike to school, and most are driven to school by a parent. The Slow Way Home explores this divergence, examining how American families have largely given up on keeping our streets and public spaces safe enough for children, while Japanese communities have mobilized to keep their streets safe and walkable, not only for children but for everyone in society.
square peg round hole GPS doesn’t tell you everything. This bus, headed south on 4th Street SE encountered a low bridge. Rather than back into traffic on Water Street, the driver attempted to turn around, No va.
shared space shared space indeed My favorite traffic engineer, Ben Hamilton-Bailee, joins Chuck Mahron of Strong Towns in conversation at CNU