Tag Archives: traffic

More street connections = less cut-through traffic

Posted on August 21, 2015 by

The argument that connecting new neighborhoods to existing ones causing cut-through traffic is only true if there are limited street connections in the transportation network in the first place. If a community has a well-planned, interconnected transportation network then more … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, bicycling, Biking, Cars, cities, civics, environment, fitness, geography, health, humanity, infrastructure, land use, Maps, placemaking, planning, spatial design, sprawl, sustainability, traffic, transportation, urban planning, walking, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The DUMB reality of opting-out

Posted on April 11, 2015 by

In an ironic twist of fate, Southeast Michigan’s  regional bus system is nicknamed SMART (Southeast Michigan Regional Transit). Given the ability of communities in the region to opt-out of participation, the name certainly is an oxymoron to the DUMB (Detroit Unworkable Metro Bus) … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, Alternative transportation, bicycling, Bus transportation, Cars, cities, civics, civility, commerce, Communications, economic development, geography, government, health, history, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, infrastructure, Labor, land use, logistics, Maps, placemaking, planning, pollution, poverty, social equity, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, sustainability, traffic, transit, transportation, Travel, urban planning, walking, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Most congested megacity index for 2014

Posted on February 17, 2015 by

Below are the results from the most congested megacity index which are based on an interesting and fairly simple measure of street congestion – the average number of stops and starts per vehicle during a given year. Please note that … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Alternative transportation, Asia, bicycling, Cars, China, cities, civility, commerce, environment, Europe, geography, health, humanity, India, infrastructure, land use, logistics, North America, Passenger rail, planning, pollution, South America, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, sustainability, traffic, transit, transportation, UK, urban planning, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The road ate my neighborhood!

Posted on October 29, 2014 by

Absolutely spot-on example of the bass ackwards thinking from old school Traffic Engineers. Sadly, we have a serious overpopulation of them living and working here in Michigan. The video created by Strong Towns would be hilarious if it weren’t so … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, Alternative transportation, bicycling, Biking, Cars, cities, civics, infrastructure, planning, satire, sustainability, transportation, urban planning, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why do so many cities look alike?

Posted on August 20, 2014 by

Just ask cartoonist Andy Singer. Or better yet, check out his cartoon below for the reason.

Posted in art, cities, civics, environment, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

More beneficial use of highway money

Posted on March 1, 2014 by

Late in 2013 a brand new interstate highway interchange opened along I-96 at Latson Road near Howell, Michigan. The cost of this single, basic  “diamond-shaped” interchange was $32 million dollars. While many people in suburban Livingston County are probably thrilled with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, bicycling, books, Cars, cities, commerce, culture, environment, fitness, geography, health, Health care, history, infrastructure, land use, Maps, pictures, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, recreation, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, sustainability, trails, transportation, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Automate them already!

Posted on May 7, 2013 by

Why is it we so often automatically defer all common sense to the automobile? Case in point, the crosswalk signal. Why is it that we as pedestrians, wheelchair riders, joggers, cyclists, and many others must seek, find, and then push … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, bicycling, bike sharing, Biking, Cars, cities, Communications, culture, downtown, fitness, government, health, infrastructure, land use, logistics, placemaking, planning, product design, signs, spatial design, sustainability, technology, transportation, Travel, urban planning, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Addressing past street naming/numbering sins

Posted on February 16, 2013 by

When I resided in Hagerstown, Maryland many moons ago, Washington County’s Planning Department assigned new addresses to nearly every property in the county. This effort was completed successfully in part due to the cooperation all of the local jurisdictions. The purpose of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, bicycling, Cars, cities, civics, civility, commerce, Communications, economic development, geography, history, infrastructure, land use, placemaking, planning, product design, revitalization, spatial design, sprawl, third places, tourism, transit, transportation, Travel, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Why must we play crosswalk roulette?

Posted on July 27, 2012 by

I don’t know about other parts of the country, but here in Greater Lansing, crossing (or crosswalk) signals seem to be timed based on Olympic sprinters. Personally, I cannot even make it across while riding my bike before the dumb signal starts blinking (please note … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycling, cities, civics, climate change, culture, density, diversity, economics, education, energy, environment, fitness, health, infrastructure, land use, new urbanism, placemaking, planning, revitalization, spatial design, sprawl, sustainability, trails, transportation, urban planning, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

What’s wrong with this picture?

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

For cyclists and pedestrians, a lot. The fact that the crosswalk is not aligned with the curb cuts makes crossing the intersection confusing at best and dangerous at worst. Local authorities have been alerted about this particular problem. It appears … Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Cars, Cities, fitness, government, health, Transportation, Uncategorized, walking | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments