Here is a collection of the information out there for complete streets:
The Complete Streets Website http://www.completestreets.org/
APA Resources, including policy inventory and best practices manual
http://www.planning.org/research/streets/
Good photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38607288@N03/
(ITDP-Europe)
Information on Complete Streets and the Aging
http://www.aarp.org/makeadifference/advocacy/GovernmentWatch/StrongCommunities/articles/aarp_one_minute_guide_complete_streets_act.html
http://www.planetizen.com/node/28644
Advocates of Walking and indexing tool:
http://www.walkscore.com/
SF Bay Local:
Better Streets San Francisco
http://www.sfgov.org/site/uploadedfiles/planning/Citywide/Better_Streets/proposals.htm
Oakland
Walk Oakland, Bike Oakland
http://www.walkoaklandbikeoakland.org
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Barcelona's Innovation District
Columnist Neal Peirce (Seattle Times) wrote about Barcelona as a model of urban innovation.
Barcelona turned a depressed inner-city district into a high-powered knowledge hub by utilizing an ingenious form of real-estate development. The Spanish model is quite different from America's "free enterprise" approach to redevelopment.
"Their central idea: Talent is the gold of our time, crucial to building thriving new economic clusters. Talented people (and cutting-edge firms) want lively urban environments instead of the isolation of corporate campuses. They're anxious to brush shoulders with other gifted people from companies, universities and the artistic realm."
How does it work? Refer to the article for more information.
"Each of the district's 100-square-meter blocks — rather than individual land holdings — was made the basic unit for regeneration. Once 60 percent of landowners in any one of the 115 blocks agree to act collectively, they can — as a community — increase the value of their property by getting city permission to rebuild with greater height (more stories) than allowed in the past."
Barcelona turned a depressed inner-city district into a high-powered knowledge hub by utilizing an ingenious form of real-estate development. The Spanish model is quite different from America's "free enterprise" approach to redevelopment.
"Their central idea: Talent is the gold of our time, crucial to building thriving new economic clusters. Talented people (and cutting-edge firms) want lively urban environments instead of the isolation of corporate campuses. They're anxious to brush shoulders with other gifted people from companies, universities and the artistic realm."
How does it work? Refer to the article for more information.
"Each of the district's 100-square-meter blocks — rather than individual land holdings — was made the basic unit for regeneration. Once 60 percent of landowners in any one of the 115 blocks agree to act collectively, they can — as a community — increase the value of their property by getting city permission to rebuild with greater height (more stories) than allowed in the past."
The Green City of Freiburg
AK Greenbird's has a really informative blog entry on the City of Freiburg in Germany. It is one of the greenest (policywise) cities in the world. Optional district parking for residential uses, i.e. no parking and traffic on the streets, is one of the more progressive ideas implemented in Freiburg. (Can you see Americans parking away from their houses? Just imagine!) In addition, there are some astonishing public transit images (trams amidst a field of grass) and another blog entry on innovative stormwater reuse strategies. Freiburg showcases many examples of how to implement sustainability on a large, city-wide scale.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Parking Management - Share Parking
Situation: The district I am studying is currently self-parked. Each parcel provides its own parking, which was required by a parking ratio and perhaps exceeded with perceived need. Businesses are struggling (due to many factors) and the ease of parking is critical in many business owners' eyes to future success.
Problem: Parking is inefficiently provided throughout the project area. Surface parking lots are far more abundant than any other type of open space and seem to take over developable space. Most visitors seem to park and visit a single establishment rather than the district as a whole.
Solution?: Managed, shared parking districts. In these districts parking lots are shared, land is more efficiently used. Shared parking districts can decrease car trips, the number of parking spaces demanded, and promote walking.
Issue: How does a city write policy or encourage private land owners to share land for parking? What about issues of liability? What about issues of land acquisition? How can a city implement shared parking where private parking has dominated?
Problem: Parking is inefficiently provided throughout the project area. Surface parking lots are far more abundant than any other type of open space and seem to take over developable space. Most visitors seem to park and visit a single establishment rather than the district as a whole.
Solution?: Managed, shared parking districts. In these districts parking lots are shared, land is more efficiently used. Shared parking districts can decrease car trips, the number of parking spaces demanded, and promote walking.
Issue: How does a city write policy or encourage private land owners to share land for parking? What about issues of liability? What about issues of land acquisition? How can a city implement shared parking where private parking has dominated?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Nonmotorized Level of Service Rating Factors
LOS, or Level of Service ratings are a graded system typically applied to vehicular traffic on our streets. LOS grades A-F evaluate the ease and efficiency of traffic traveling on a given street, not necessarily it's Level of Service for all modes. The Victoria Transport Policy Institute has conducted a lot of research on non-motorized transportation planning and developed a Nonmotorized Level of Service Rating. Here is my summary of criteria for grading nonmotorized LOS, grades are based on:
- Network continuity: sidewalks
- Network quality: are sidewalks properly designed and maintained?
- Road crossing: safety and speed of road crossings
- Traffic Protection: Separation (distance and physical separations) from motorized traffic
- Congestion and user conflicts: hazards, such as street furniture, crowding
- Topography: steep inclines
- Sense of security: visibility and lighting
- Wayfinding: signage, maps,
- Weather protection: shade trees and awnings
- Cleanliness: litter, graffiti, maintenance
- Attractiveness: Quality of nearby buildings and landscaping, open space, parks, plazas, recreational area
Action Words
These are some verbs that I commonly use in writing future plans that I call "action words":
- achieve
- address
- align
- analyze
- capture
- conduct
- consider
- create
- develop
- discourage
- enhance
- ensure
- establish
- expand
- explore
- find
- foster
- gather
- identity
- implement
- improve
- initiate
- install
- introduce
- investigate
- maintain
- manage
- monitor
- plan for
- prepare
- promote
- provide for
- pursue
- recognize
- rethink
- revamp
- secure
- strengthen
- support
- utilize
- verify
Monday, October 12, 2009
Midtown Palo Alto
"Midtown" on Middlefield Road in Palo Alto is a convenient place that is located on a busy street. It is still in the category of "auto"-serving, but there are some important differences that make it nicer for pedestrians along the core 2 blocks of neighborhood serving retail. The services offered include a grocery store, 2 drug stores, a small hardware store, an ATM (the bank turned into something else), a great local coffee shop, an ice cream shop, and dry cleaners. Middlefield is a busy street, consistently 2 lanes in each direction but it narrows through this stretch. There are also mid-block crossings that allow people to cross. The frontage include setbacks for shaded outdoor eating.
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