Can you be persecuted (and, perhaps, prosecuted) for having an (informed) opinion about traffic infrastructure and voicing/writing that opinion as part of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy. Apparently, yes. This is partly a case of attempting to criminalize speech for political purposes. Although it also appears apparent that you’ll “win” even if the worst should happen. [...]
The open house hosted by the Traffic Advisory Board yesterday to get citizens’ comments on bicycle and pedestrian issues was a success. I was only able to be there for the first 30 minutes — needed to get home before the storm, seeing as how I drove my bicycle to the event. It gave me [...]
My headline over-promises. I am not particularly interested in increasing participation as an end in itself. But it is clear that many bicycle advocates believe that providing such infrastructure as bicycle lanes, tracks, and separated paths does increase participation. According to recent studies, it’s not entirely clear what the cause-and-effect relationship actually is between infrastructure and participation. [...]
The official city website for the Bicycle-Pedestrian Plan is ready to view. Just click here. From the website: The City presently has a Bicycle Plan, a Greenways Plan and miscellaneous pedestrian policies and manuals. Our goal is a comprehensive strategy that updates these plans and adds a formal Pedestrian Plan. This project is in response [...]
Here’s a good opportunity to have your say about the future of sustainable, carbon-neutral transportation in Springfield (i.e. bicycling and walking): The City of Springfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Open House. When: 28 February, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Where: Busch Municipal Building I assume there will be much talk of bicycle lanes. Again, I have [...]
How might we re-imagine the suburbs? An exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York examines that question from an architectural standpoint. While the designs are rather dramatic, perhaps the most interesting idea is that we need to “change the dream.” That means re-thinking home ownership and single-family homes. So, yes, density. But [...]
City Councilman Tom Beiker held a public forum at The Hub yesterday — first in a series of planned public discussions. The main topic was bicycling and helping make Springfield a bicycle-friendly community. I was unable to attend the meeting. The News-Leader published an article today. It’s difficult to tell how much talk there was [...]
Last year I reported here, based on a conversation at a STAR Team meeting, that the city was uninterested in painting more bicycle lanes. With the creation of new lanes on Division and Benton and the discussion at night’s STAR Team meeting, it has became clear to me that painting more bicycle lanes is in [...]
Park Central Square is finished. Here are the results. You’ll see that it has become a more pedestrian-friendly place. Technorati Tags: Springfield Missouri, Urban and Regional Planning, urban design, urban development, Urban Planning
This is what happens when you hang out in coffee shops jawboning with cronies. One of the virtues of an urban area — especially a densely-populated downtown core — is that creative people bump into one another and start talking (or old farts start jawboning — take your pick). And that talking leads to ideas. And [...]
Just in time for the First Friday Art Walk, the Square is open again. Here’s an iPhone image from a few minutes ago. Technorati Tags: cycling, urban design, urban development, Urban Planning
The following is an e-mail issued by Butler, Rosenbury & Partners today about the renovations to Park Central Square: Construction crews are finishing work on Park Central Square in downtown Springfield 20 days ahead of schedule. This is the culmination of a four-year effort to improve Springfield’s Public Square. History Originally positioned as the city center in 1838, [...]
The Holy Grail of bicycle advocacy is numbers of kiesters in saddles on two wheels on the road. Some advocates are willing to do almost anything to increase participation — including putting novices in danger. There’s a “but”: It appears rather clear that the more people who ride bicycles in a given area the safer [...]
A poll by the National Association of Realtors earlier this spring showed that Americans’ attitudes about where to live may be changing. A few (cherry-picked) highlights: Americans are three times more likely to say that the quality of life in their communities has gotten worse (35%) rather than better (12%) in the last three years. [...]
OK, actually a reason that’s not talked about enough… So, what can bicycling do for us and our towns and cities? The usual reasons to ride a bicycle include: health, wealth, relieve traffic congestion, and (add two or three things you think of most). Kasey Klimes, wrting for This Big City, says the following is [...]
