Comments on: Jaywalking as a Marker of Livable Streets http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/21/jaywalking-as-a-marker-of-livable-streets/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JohnBike http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/21/jaywalking-as-a-marker-of-livable-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-137961 JohnBike Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:38:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=74211#comment-137961 Sounds like the teachings of Hans Monderman... "Shared Space: Monderman’s designs emphasized human interaction over mechanical traffic devices. By taking away conventional regulatory traffic controls, he proved that human interaction and caution would naturally yield a safer, more pleasant environment for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists." JohnBike Sounds like the teachings of Hans Monderman…

“Shared Space:
Monderman’s designs emphasized human interaction over mechanical traffic devices. By taking away conventional regulatory traffic controls, he proved that human interaction and caution would naturally yield a safer, more pleasant environment for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.”

JohnBike

]]> By: Richard Layman http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/21/jaywalking-as-a-marker-of-livable-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-137871 Richard Layman Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:52:51 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=74211#comment-137871 Oh, and just think if DC really did do transportation demand management planning. We'd probably hit mode split numbers of 65%... Oh, and just think if DC really did do transportation demand management planning. We’d probably hit mode split numbers of 65%…

]]> By: Richard Layman http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/10/21/jaywalking-as-a-marker-of-livable-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-137861 Richard Layman Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:51:21 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=74211#comment-137861 I disagree about the belief in a wide degree of variability between regions. All center cities have pretty much similar characteristics -- density, grid street network, small blocks. And were designed during the walking and transit city eras, which meant that the cities were designed to optimize trips by walking, transit (and bicycling). And center city competitive advantage centers upon nonautomobile centric mobility. The real mistake is cities believing that they are different. What I find "interesting" across the network is not that there is regional variability, but that the degree to which a region and its elected and appointed officials understand, appreciate and support transit, walking and bicycling varies considerably. What is interesting to me then is why some regions vary so significantly on this metric. And that regions that exhibit a high degree of transportational progressivism tend to be high income, high education. That being said, high income high education areas can also be retrograde as well. Getting back to the issue of spatial patterns really mattering the most -- places like Portland and Arlington County get all the props for their great transportation planning. DC doesn't do great transportation planning (although we do some things well, and lucked out that a subway network was costructed) but it crushes both Portland and Arlington in terms of mode share for walking, bicycling, and transit for work trips. Sure Portland kicks DC's butt on bicycling, but even so, DC has more than 100% > # of people using bike, walking, and transit to get to work. And DC is 50% better than Arlington. It's all about the spatial pattern of the city, overlaid with transit, and walking communities. I disagree about the belief in a wide degree of variability between regions. All center cities have pretty much similar characteristics — density, grid street network, small blocks. And were designed during the walking and transit city eras, which meant that the cities were designed to optimize trips by walking, transit (and bicycling). And center city competitive advantage centers upon nonautomobile centric mobility.

The real mistake is cities believing that they are different.

What I find “interesting” across the network is not that there is regional variability, but that the degree to which a region and its elected and appointed officials understand, appreciate and support transit, walking and bicycling varies considerably.

What is interesting to me then is why some regions vary so significantly on this metric. And that regions that exhibit a high degree of transportational progressivism tend to be high income, high education.

That being said, high income high education areas can also be retrograde as well.

Getting back to the issue of spatial patterns really mattering the most — places like Portland and Arlington County get all the props for their great transportation planning. DC doesn’t do great transportation planning (although we do some things well, and lucked out that a subway network was costructed) but it crushes both Portland and Arlington in terms of mode share for walking, bicycling, and transit for work trips. Sure Portland kicks DC’s butt on bicycling, but even so, DC has more than 100% > # of people using bike, walking, and transit to get to work. And DC is 50% better than Arlington.

It’s all about the spatial pattern of the city, overlaid with transit, and walking communities.

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