• City Planning
• Vital Urban Communities

So Much Wasted Space (and money)

How many times have you heard someone say that buses and bike lanes are such wastes of money because they have seen them empty? And, of course, only running buses when they would be full would be like only opening roads for rush hour. id=”attachment_480″ align=”alignleft” width=”280″] SW Alder: lunchtime!

• Active Citizenship
• City Planning
• Vital Urban Communities

Off Street Parking and Neighborhood Livability: photo essay

Over 20 years ago, the City of Portland removed off-street parking requirements for residential development along streets served by transit. Check out this photo essay on how off-street parking (for years required by cities) disrupts the “traditional” neighborhood character, community interaction and aesthetics…

Traditional development along transit streets

• City Planning
• Climate Change
• Economic Development
• Healthy Cities
• Vital Urban Communities

Hey Fatso!

Who has a fat butt?
Time to look in the mirror and take responsibility for our carbon excesses.

Some would say that we shouldn’t have to cut fossil fuel use to reduce carbon emissions until every country commits to doing the same. But what would you think if you knew that those countries suffering most from severe climate disruption aren’t causing the problem? Countries in the tropics and the global south produce relatively little carbon yet are suffering severe flooding, water shortages and catastrophic storms…
Country size represents total carbon emissions. Source: Worldmapper.org

• Bicycle Advocacy
• City Planning
• Vital Urban Communities

Portland’s Transportation Priorities Adrift? Say it isn’t so!

In a dog bites man story, the Oregonian reports on the latest report that the City of Portland’s vaunted transportation department lacks focus, overspends and doesn’t achieve its goal. Not a big surprise to Portlanders who know too well the energizer-bunny characters of the ex-Mayor (who headed this bureau for 8 years) and his doppelganger, […]

• Bicycle Advocacy
• City Planning
• Healthy Cities
• Non-car Mobility
• Vital Urban Communities

More bikes, healthier planet: but how to get there?

Bicycle use is experiencing a resurgence in much of the world – even the French are riding! In the USA bicycling is on the cusp of even greater growth, rating the attacks of House Republicans who eliminated funding in the latest transportation bill. Yet, most cities still are hostile to experienced riders much less the average person. What do you find that works to give this affordable, convenient, healthy transportation option a leg up?