Street Competition 2, Issue 30

I don’t know how to unravel the complex web of issues that impact the use of Street Space. Consider all of these contradictions in a recent Fast Company Magazine in  :

Before the pandemic, roughly two million people rode London’s subway system every day, often packed on crowded cars at rush hour. As the city tries to figure out how workers can safely commute when more businesses reopen, it wants people to avoid public transit when possible—but not to switch to driving. To help make it easier to bike and walk to work, the city is creating a massive car-free zone in the centre of the city.

The issues raised in one short paragraph

  • The future of public transit 
  • Too many cars
  • Safe commuting 
  • Space for people and all forms of active transportation

Street Space –  the total area occupied by roadways, roadside parking, bicycle paths, and sidewalks.

Parking Woes 

Consider these two paragraphs from Planning: 

The National Association of City Transportation Officials estimates that at least 100 U.S. cities have created curbside pickup zones for restaurants, according to spokesperson Alex Engel.

Even before the pandemic, cities already were exploring ways to transition hourly meter spaces into loading zones, says Anne Brown, an assistant professor at the University of Oregon who studies parking and transportation policy. “COVID has accelerated the degree to which cities have already been thinking about ways to change parking,” she says.

Then, some relevant excerpts from an article  from the January 5 New York Times:

Last spring, as the pandemic engulfed New York City, people dealt with shortages of basic goods like toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer. But a surge in car sales — propelled in part by people leery of public transit — has created a new pandemic-induced shortage: parking spaces.

Across New York, drivers complain that free street parking has become increasingly scarce after people who drove away for the summer returned, outdoor dining took over roughly 10,000 parking spaces, and car ownership soared. …..

Do active transportation activists care?

Advocacy groups for mass transit and bicyclists don’t offer much sympathy. They say the pandemic has underscored the need to shift priorities over who has claim to the streetscape.

There is one tongue-in-cheek conclusion: developers that have unsold parking in their projects, send this NYT article to owners and potential buyers. They may have just bought a car. More seriously, the Planning and the NYT articles demonstrate the conflict caused by all of the  rapid changes to the use of Street Space. 

Temporary ??? 

Now, Cities around the world intend to make Covid-inspired changes to Street Space usage permanent: 

Pushback

There has been significant pushback on the rapid re-assignment of public spaces that have been designed for the automobile. However, cities and communities are using the coronavirus event as an opportunity make long desired changes rapidly. While I agree with the overall objectives and direction  of cities to radically reduce the importance of the automobile, this is not something that happens overnight. It has taken years of planning and construction to make Copenhagen the world’s active transportation capital.

As recited in issue 27, Denmark is not a country of cyclists but a country of Danes on bikes as that is the safest and most efficient way to get from A to B.

The usual reminders:

  • Buy better, buy less, reduce, repair, reuse and recycle 
  • Shop local, support local businesses, buy from local farms, and support local artisans and manufacturers
  • Wear face masks where required, wash your hands, practice social distancing, hydrate, and exercise

Lisbon – A City on the Rise?

March 7, 2023

Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]

Cities and Towns, The Affordable Housing Problem

February 8, 2023

People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex.  Defining Affordability […]

I Love to Dance

January 29, 2023

I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]

Cities and Towns 8, A City is About People

January 19, 2023

Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed  off  to the public by the end of the 20th century.   Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]

NEOM - the Wall

Cities and Towns 7, Cities and Towns Evolve

January 8, 2023

I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes.  Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]

Christmas Poem 2022

December 22, 2022

A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores  The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]